Here are a few facts to consider. A quarter of a million people in the United States will fracture their hips this year. One-fourth of those adults die within the first 12 months after that fracture. And only half of those who survive will be able to return home and resume a normal life. Those are very sobering statistics.

Here are a few facts to consider. A quarter of a million people in the United States will fracture their hips this year. One-fourth of those adults die within the first 12 months after that fracture. And only half of those who survive will be able to return home and resume a normal life. Those are very sobering statistics.

The first part of both terms (osteo) refers to bone. In the first word (osteonecrosis), necrosis means death -- so, osteonecrosis is the death of bone. In the second word (osteoporosis), porosis refers to how porous the bone has become. Loss of bone density creates larger spaces between bone cells. As a result of these changes, the bone is more brittle.

Osteoporosis is a decrease in bone density potentially leading to weak and brittle bones. Transient means it's temporary. Transient osteoporosis of the hip is rare but not unknown. There are certain groups of people affected most often. These include middle-aged men (ages 30-60) and pregnant women (during the third trimester).

In this article, orthopedic surgeons from Israel report on the natural history of transient hip osteoporosis. Natural history refers to what happens in the disease process and in the bone over time. Osteoporosis is a decrease in bone density potentially leading to weak and brittle bones. Transient means it's temporary. The condition resolves or gets better over time.

There are several types of total hip replacements, or arthroplasties, and yes, some require cement and others don't. Doctors have been experimenting with antibiotic-impregnated cements in the hope that they would cut down on the infection rate of the hip replacements.

Total hip replacements (arthroplasties) are becoming much more common in North America than they ever have been. Although the percentage of complications haven't increased, the reality is because more people are having the surgery, more people are having problems. One serious problem associated with hip replacements is infection. A deep infection in a knee replacement can cause complications that end up requiring revision surgery to correct.

Studies do show that the average patient makes rapid gains in recovery after a hip replacement in the first three to six months following the procedure. Patients are encouraged to keep up their exercise program after that for at least another six months (if not longer).

Hip joint resurfacing was introduced several years ago to help younger patients who are more active and who would likely dislocate or wear out a total hip replacement. Surgeons found a way to replace the surface of the joint without removing the bone and replacing the entire joint. Bone is saved because the femoral head (round ball at the top of the thighbone) isn't cut off. And it isn't necessary to put a long stem down into the canal of the femur since the head isn't replaced.

In this study, researchers from the Gait and Posture Lab at the University of Montreal in Canada compare walking patterns between patients who had a total hip replacement versus a surface replacement arthroplasty. An earlier study by Mont et al comparing these two groups reported a slower walking speed and decreased muscle force in the hip abductor muscle of the hip.