Which Hip Operation for Which Patient

Recent changes in concepts of surgery of the hip make it desirable to look at the entire problem in perspective. Enthusiasts for one or another type of operation are emerging in this country and abroad. The methods proposed are considered, tried out on patients, and evaluated retrospectively. Today new procedures that have been used, particularly in parts of Europe, are being utilized in the United States. Surgeons here have had enough experience with most of them for at least a preliminary evaluation.

Even orthopedists may misunderstand exactly what is meant by a certain type of procedure. Much of this stems from failure to read the original description of the operation and from use of eponyms, often in part incorrectly, to designate certain operations. The use of eponyms is especially confusing to nonorthopedic physicians, who must be at least superficially familiar with technique and have some understanding of the terminology of