Hip resurfacing: Past, present and future

The purpose of this article is to define hip resurfacing, explain what the procedure entails and to examine the potential benefits, risks and complications of the procedure. The patient's journey from joining the waiting list, through to outpatient follow-up is examined and nursing care described. As metal on metal hip resurfacing is considered to be a fairly new surgical procedure and long-term outcomes are not known, the role of the research nurse in monitoring outcomes for this patient group is also examined.