I've been having increasing pain in my right hip for the last 2 months, I've had a Xray and MRI done in Udon Thani that show stage 2 (their definintion of it) Osteoarthritis of the hip bone.

On the MRI the white buildup is clearly visible along one edge of the hip bone.

The Doctor is advising a bone decompression surgury, drilling three 3mm shafts into the hip bone from the side of my hip to reduce pressure/size of the hip bone to restore blood circulation around the joint area. It's a keyhole type operation so is a minimal operation from the outside but there's the matter of those 3 shafts to be drilled out inside.

I've googled this to death and it seems like an older type of treatment as opposed to a resurfacing of the hip joint. The sucess rate that I've read for stage 2 with this type of procedure is 50% which doesn't sound that good for what sounds like a painfull procedure. But it doesn't involve any artifical parts which interests me as I'm 54 yr old and otherwise in excellent health.

Friends that have had hip replacements all tell me to stick with the original equipment as long as possible.

Does anybody have any experience with this procedure, personal or professional?

Ken

As a general approach, opt for the least invasive procedure.

At 54 a hip replacement should not be the option so good that the ortho advised an alternative.

This again is less invasive than the re-surfacing and may be a good option at this time.

Given the limitations of this kind of forum for such medical advice, I would suggest a second opinion in a larger center.

His suggested order of treatment is

1. bone decompression because of my age and not wanting to go straight to artifical parts

2. resurfacing of the hip bone, more invassive but higher sucess rate and good for 10 years or so

3. Total hip replacement, last option

I appricate the fact that he is thinking least invassive first and progressing step by step

A second Dr's opinion is being arranged this week

I'm not really looking for medical adivce of this or any other forum, The best reply I could hope for is from someone who has had this procedure and share their experience's with it.

Ken