Total hip replacement is a surgical procedure in which the diseased and worn-out cartilage of the hip joint is replaced with an artificial cup and ball. The normal hip joint is a ball-and-socket joint, where the socket is formed by an inverted cup-like part of the pelvic bone called the acetabulum, and the ball is the upper end of the thigh bone (femoral head). These structures are connected by a capsule and ligaments, surrounded by a cuff of tendons and muscles that provide stability and movement.

Patients experiencing chronic hip pain that progressively worsens and interferes with daily activities—such as walking, climbing stairs, or getting up from a seated position—may eventually require total hip replacement. The procedure is most commonly performed for severe arthritis of the hip joint, where the joint surfaces are significantly damaged due to the disease process.