Complex Hip Replacement Surgery in Birmingham
Specialist complex and difficult primary hip replacement in Birmingham and the West Midlands with Mr Shakir Hussain, a consultant hip surgeon at the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital. For hips affected by dysplasia, bone loss, deformity, or previous metalwork, he plans each reconstruction in detail to restore a stable, pain-free joint.
What Is Complex Hip Replacement Surgery?
Complex hip replacement is a primary hip replacement made technically demanding by abnormal anatomy, significant bone loss, deformity, or metalwork left from earlier surgery. It calls for detailed planning, a wider range of implants, and a surgeon who regularly manages difficult cases.
Most hip replacements are straightforward. A smaller group are not, because the shape of the hip has been changed by a developmental condition, a previous injury, or earlier surgery. These hips often cannot be reconstructed with a standard implant alone.
Mr Hussain performs these reconstructions at the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital, drawing on advanced fellowship training and a high-volume practice of over 5,000 procedures. Where a worn or failed implant needs renewing rather than a first-time reconstruction, hip revision surgery is the related pathway.
- Abnormal anatomy - dysplasia or a shallow, poorly formed socket
- Bone loss - cysts, collapse, or protrusio reducing bone stock
- Deformity - from previous fracture, malunion, or childhood conditions
- Retained metalwork - nails, plates, or screws needing removal
- Altered mechanics - after spinal fusion, affecting hip stability
Any one of these can turn a routine hip replacement into a complex reconstruction that benefits from specialist planning.
What Makes a Hip Replacement Complex?
A hip replacement becomes complex when the standard approach is not enough. You may need specialist input if any of the following apply to you:
Hip Dysplasia
Hip dysplasia leaves a shallow or poorly formed socket that needs specialised reconstruction and careful implant choice.
Avascular Necrosis
Avascular necrosis causes loss of blood supply and collapse of the femoral head, often in younger patients.
Previous Fracture or Malunion
An old hip or thigh fracture that healed in an abnormal position, or post-traumatic arthritis, alters the normal anatomy.
Retained Metalwork
Nails, plates, or dynamic hip screws from earlier surgery often need removing at the same time as the hip replacement.
Severe Protrusio & Bone Loss
A socket pushed inward, or significant loss of bone stock, may need bone grafting, augments, or specialised fixation.
Spinal Fusion & Metabolic Bone Disease
Previous spinal fusion changes pelvic mechanics, while Paget's disease and other conditions weaken or distort bone.
How Complex Hip Replacement Is Performed
Complex reconstruction depends on detailed planning, the right implant for the anatomy, and the support of a specialist centre.
Every complex case starts with detailed pre-operative planning. Mr Hussain reviews x-rays and, where needed, CT or MRI scans to template the reconstruction and anticipate problems before surgery.
In theatre, the plan may involve removing existing metalwork, reconstructing bone defects with grafts or augments, and selecting standard or custom implants that achieve a stable, well-aligned joint. Higher-risk patients are planned through a multidisciplinary team and recovered with high-dependency care where appropriate.
- Detailed templating and cross-sectional imaging before surgery
- Removal of retained nails, plates, or screws in the same operation
- Bone grafting, augments, and acetabular reconstruction for bone loss
- Standard or custom implants matched to individual anatomy
- Implant positioning tailored to altered spinopelvic mechanics
Specialist Tertiary Centre
The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital is a national tertiary referral centre and one of the UK's largest specialist orthopaedic hospitals, so complex and referred hip cases are managed here every week.
Multidisciplinary Approach
Complex cases are planned in MDT meetings bringing together orthopaedic, anaesthetic, medical, and specialist nursing expertise.
High-Dependency Care
Harborne Hospital and Priory Hospital Edgbaston both have HDU facilities for cases needing closer post-operative monitoring.
Advanced Implant Options
Access to the full range of solutions including custom-made prostheses, augments, and specialised fixation for challenging anatomy.
Complex Hip Replacement Case Examples
Real, anonymised x-rays from Mr Hussain's practice showing complex hips reconstructed with a stable, well-aligned replacement. Each case pairs the pre-operative x-ray with the result.
Why Choose Mr Hussain for a Complex Hip Replacement?
Complex hips reward experience. Mr Hussain is a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon at the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital with a high-volume hip practice and advanced fellowship training, including a British Hip Society Travelling Fellowship at the ENDO-Klinik in Hamburg, a world-leading centre for complex hip and revision surgery. Because the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital is a tertiary referral centre for complex orthopaedics, he operates on a steady stream of difficult and referred hip cases, building an exceptional depth of experience that routine practice rarely offers.
His results are tracked against National Joint Registry benchmarks. You can review his published hip replacement outcomes, and read about fees and insurance for self-pay and insured patients.
- 5,000+ surgical procedures performed
- 33 peer-reviewed publications
- ENDO-Klinik Hamburg fellowship training
- Royal Orthopaedic Hospital specialist centre
- Doctify Outstanding Patient Experience
Frequently Asked Questions
Ready to Discuss Your Complex Hip Replacement?
If your hip has been called difficult or complex, Mr Hussain can review your x-rays and explain your options. Book a specialist consultation today.