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Abduction: | Sidewise movement of the leg away from the body. |
| Acetabulum: | A cup-shaped depression on the external surface of the hipbone into which the head of the femur fits. The socket in the ball and socket joint of the hip. |
| Adduction: | Sideward movement of the leg toward the body. |
| Alloy: | A substance composed of two or more metals. One serves as the matrix and the others form islands within the matrix. |
| Anklyosing Spondylitis: | An arthritis of the spine that resembles rheumatoid arthritis. |
| Antibiotics: | A soluble substance from a mold or bacterium that inhibits the growth of other microorganisms. |
| Anticoagulant: | A medication that prevents blood from clotting (changing from a liquid to a gel). |
| Articular Cartilage: | A resilient tissue that covers the surface of bones where they meet in a joint. The cells of articular cartilage are in small clusters separated by a matrix of collagen fibers and protein-carbohydrate molecules. |
| Arthritis: | Joint inflammation. |
| Avascular Necrosis: | A condition where bony tissue dies because of insufficient blood supply. |
| Bone graft: | Ground up bone tissue transplanted from one side to another, often used for filling holes. |
| Broach: | A surgical tool, similar to a rasp file, used to shape the cavity made in the femur to hold the femoral prosthesis. |
| Bursa(e): | A closed sac or envelope lined with synovial membrane and containing fluid, usually located in areas where there is friction. |
| Cauterize: | Application of heat or electric current to seal off blood vessels to prevent bleeding. |
| Collagen: | The major protein of tendons, ligaments, fasciae, cartilage, and bone. |
| Complication: | An abnormal event occurring during a disease or operation that is not an essential part of the disease, even though it may result from it or from independent causes. |
| Corrosion: | Gradual deterioration (e.g. of a metal) by chemical reaction. |
| Crutch(es): | A device used singly or in pairs that transfers some of the weight to the arms to help in walking when the hip or leg is injured. |
| Cyst: | An abnormal sac, with a membranous lining, that contains gas, fluid or a semisolid material. |
| Dislocation: | A condition in which the femur has come out of the acetabulum. |
| Dissect: | To separate tissues along natural lines. |
| Elective surgery: | Planned surgery (as opposed to emergency surgery) |
| Electrocardiogram: | A chart showing heart action. |
| Embolism: | A clot that dislodges and moves via the bloodstream into a new location, such as into lung tissue, where it may cause serious damage. |
| Epidural: | Upon the outermost membrane covering the spinal cord. |
| External rotation: | Turning the thigh outward. |
| Fascia: | A sheet of fibrous tissue that encloses muscles and groups of muscles and separates their several layers or groups. |
| Femur: | The long bone of the thigh. |
| Fibrocartilage: | A type of cartilage that appears as a transition between cartilage and tendon, ligament, or bone. |
| Forward Flexion: | The act of lifting the straightened leg in front. |
| Flexion contracture: | A postural change in which the thighs remain bent. It is caused by muscle shortening or soft-tissue scarring (for example, if a person has been in a wheelchair for a long time). |
| Groin: | Crease where the thigh meets the trunk of the body. |
| Hemiarthroplasty: | An operation in which one joint surface is replaced with a prosthesis. |
| Impingement: | A condition where malpositioned bones restrict movement. If these bones squeeze tendons or other soft tissues, inflammation and pain may result. |
| Incision: | A cut or surgical wound. |
| Inflammation: | A local response to injury due to a physical reaction (such as abrasion), or to chemical or biological agents, which is characterized by destruction and/or removal of the injured material as well as repair and healing. The signs of inflammation are: redness, heat, swelling, pain, and lost function. Not all of these signs are necessarily present. |
| Internal rotation: | Rotating or turning the hip inward. |
| Joint capsule: | The sac that encloses a joint, formed by an outer fibrous capsule and an inner synovial membrane. |
| Labrum: | A fibrocartilaginous rim attached to the margin of the acetabulum of the hipbone. |
| Ligament: | A band or sheet of fibrous tissue that connects two bones, cartilages, or other structures. |
| Metal fatigue: | Fracture of a metal component, such as a stem, resulting from tensile stress. |
| Osteophytes: | Abnormal bony outgrowths that generally form at the edge of bone surfaces. |
| Osteoarthritis: | Arthritis charactized by erosion of articular cartilage, more common in older people. |
| Osteoporosis: | Bone loss or thinning. |
| NSAID: | Abbreviation for non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as aspirin and ibuprofen. |
| Paget's Disease: | A skeletal disease of older persons, often inherited, in which bone breakdown and formation are both increased, leading to thickening and softening of the bones. |
| Pelvis: | The massive cup-shaped ring of bone in the lower half of the trunk, formed of the hip bone on either side and in front, and the sacrum, and coccyx in the back. |
Peri-operative
specialist physician: | A doctor who examines patients contemplating surgery prior to that time in order to assess special needs or possibly unrecognized conditions that might influence the outcome of surgery. |
| Prosthesis: | Manufactured substitute for a diseased or missing part of the body. |
| Reduction, reduced: | The restoration of normal anatomy by manipulation or surgery. For example, following dislocation, the head of the femur is
repositioned, or reduced, into its socket on the hip. |
| Referred pain: | Pain felt in one part of the body as a result of injury or disease in another part of the body. |
| Reamer: | A rotating drilling tool used to shape or enlarge a hole. |
| Revision surgery: | Surgery to remove a defective prosthesis or prosthesis component, to reposition it, or to replace it. |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | A chronic and progressive systemic inflammatory disease which damages many joints, especially of the hands and feet. |
| Secondary: | Another condition that develops as a consequence of the first condition. |
| Stabilize: | To hold securely in place. |
| Subchondral: | Beneath cartilage. |
| Subluxation: | Looseness or slipping of the femoral head within the acetabulum. |
| Synovium: | Membrane lining a joint cavity. |
| Synovial fluid: | Lubricating liquid made by the synovium. |
| Systemic: | Relating to the entire body as opposed to localized regions of the body. |
| Tendons: | Fibrous bands, one at each end of a muscle, that connect the muscle to bones. |
| Thrombosis: | Formation of a thrombus or clot within a blood vessel that may block that vessel and cause death to the tissue it normally supplies. |
| Total hip replacement: | Replacement of both the femoral and acetabular hip components (as opposed to hemiarthroplasty in which one component is replaced.) |
| Trauma: | Physical injury. |
| Trendelberg sign: | The pelvis sags on the side opposite to the dislocation or weakness when the hip and knee of the normal side is flexed; without dislocation or weakness, the pelvis rises on the side of the flexed hip or knee. |
| Trial prosthesis: | A temporary prosthesis used to test the angles, size and depth of holes prior to installing the final prosthesis. |
| trochanter: | One of two bony ridges (the greater and lesser trochanters) near the upper end of the femur. |
| Urine specimen analysis: | Tests using urine to measure its inorganic and organic molecules, pH, acidity, concentration, nitrogen content, and other metabolic properties. |
