There are two types of hip replacement surgeries: Hip Resurfacing & Total Hip Replacement. Orthopedic Surgeon Bo Kagan explains that the hip replacement operations were developed in the 1960's to help relieve pain. And as hip replacements surgeries began being performed on younger people, some issues began to arise. "While a total hip replacement is a wonderful operation for older patients, for younger people it wouldn't do very well because it just wouldn't hold up to the use."

The alternative? Dr. Kagan says that it's called a hip resurfacing and the difference between a hip replacement and a hip resurfacing is the amount of bone involved. "In a resurfacing, it's more like the dentist might put a cap on your tooth, you know, he'll grind away some of your tooth but much of it is still there and then he'll put a cap on the top of it and that cap is held on by some kind of cement, same thing with the hip resurfacing operation."

Dr. Kagan also says that it's a bone-conserving technique that's newer, but is becoming an increasingly popular alternative to total hip replacement."The Birmingham hip replacement is the only one that's been approved by the FDA to this point, for use in the United States."

The hip resurfacing surgery is generally used as an alternative to total hip replacement and is often suggested for active patients under the age of 55.