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A clinician holding an anatomical model of the spine and pelvis while explaining it to a seated woman, illustrating this article on alternatives to hip replacement.

What Is the New Procedure Instead of Hip Replacement in Houston?

There is no single new procedure that replaces hip replacement. Here are the real options, what FDA and the 2026 ACR guideline say about stem cell and PRP injections, and the questions to ask before you book.

Written by Dr. Joel Cherdack, Founder, Houston Regenerative Medicine

Last Updated: October 14, 2026

In this article

You may have seen a clinic advertise a “new procedure” that avoids hip replacement. The phrase sounds like one specific treatment. It is not, and knowing what it can cover is the most useful thing to have before you book anything.

This is general information, not medical advice.

Go to a hospital or get emergency help if your hip pain is acute and caused by a serious fall or other injury, your leg is deformed, badly bruised or bleeding, you cannot move your hip or bear any weight on your leg, or you have worsening pain and difficulty urinating or having a bowel movement.

Is there a new procedure that replaces hip replacement?

Houston Regenerative Medicine graphic titled What Is the New Procedure Instead of Hip Replacement in Houston, over a photo of a clinician examining a man's hip.

No single procedure has taken the place of hip replacement. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) still lists total hip replacement as a surgical treatment for hip arthritis, alongside nonsurgical care and a few operations that preserve more of your own bone. Which of them is relevant to you is a question for a clinician who has examined you.

So when you see “new procedure” or “alternative to hip replacement”, ask exactly what the procedure is. The phrase can describe anything from an injection to a different operation.

What the options instead of hip replacement actually are

An older man in a gray suit walking along a park path with a cane and an umbrella, accompanying the section on the options instead of hip replacement.

The options fall into three groups: nonsurgical care, injections that guidelines treat very differently, and joint-preserving surgery. AAOS lists activity changes, weight loss, physical therapy, walking aids and medication as nonsurgical treatment for hip osteoarthritis, and names hip resurfacing and osteotomy as surgical options other than total replacement. Hip arthroscopy treats certain other hip problems.

  • Nonsurgical care. AAOS lists cutting back on activities that aggravate the hip, switching to lower impact activities, losing weight, specific exercises and walking supports such as a cane, crutches or a walker. Medication, including acetaminophen and NSAIDs, may be added.
  • Steroid injections. The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 2026 guideline strongly recommends intraarticular glucocorticoid (steroid) injections for hip osteoarthritis, and strongly recommends ultrasound guidance for those steroid injections in the hip.
  • Hip resurfacing. According to AAOS, the damaged socket surface is replaced with a metal shell, and the head of the thighbone is capped with a smooth metal covering instead of being removed.
  • Osteotomy. The thighbone or the socket is cut and realigned to take pressure off the hip. AAOS notes that it “is used only rarely to treat osteoarthritis of the hip.”
  • Hip arthroscopy. A way to view and treat the hip joint without a large incision, used for problems such as labral tears and femoroacetabular impingement. AAOS notes that damage can sometimes be too severe for the procedure to succeed.

Where do stem cell and PRP injections fit?

A white anatomical model of the pelvis and hip joints against a dark background, accompanying the section on where stem cell and PRP injections fit.

Stem cell and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections are offered by regenerative clinics, but no regenerative therapy is FDA-approved for an orthopedic condition, and the ACR 2026 guideline strongly recommends against both injections for hip osteoarthritis. Anyone considering them should know both facts before paying for treatment.

FDA states that regenerative medicine therapies “have not been approved for the treatment of any orthopedic condition,” and names osteoarthritis among its examples. The 2019 version of the ACR guideline explained its concern as “the heterogeneity and lack of standardization in available preparations of stem cell injections, as well as techniques used.”

Some cell-based treatments fall under FDA rules for human cells and tissues in 21 CFR Part 1271. That is a regulatory category, not an FDA approval for any condition. Our article on stem cell therapy in Houston explains the legal position in Texas in more detail.

If you are weighing these injections anyway, our article on what the success rate of stem cell therapy really means explains why no single figure applies, and how to evaluate a stem cell clinic lists what to check before booking. You can also read our stem cell therapy overview.

What decides which option is worth discussing?

The cause of your hip pain and how far the joint has changed decide which options are even relevant. Arthroscopy addresses specific problems such as labral tears, osteotomy is rarely used for arthritis, and resurfacing and replacement are operations, so they are discussed with an orthopedic surgeon who has examined you.

None of that can be worked out from an article. A clinician who has examined you can also tell you that a route you were hoping for is not a reasonable one for you.

Questions to ask about any alternative to hip replacement

Whatever you are offered, ask the same questions. They separate an established option from a marketing label, and any surgeon or clinic should be able to answer them. Write the answers down, and compare them before you agree to any procedure, injection or payment plan for your hip.

  • What exactly is the procedure, and what is it aiming to change in my hip?
  • Is it FDA-approved for my condition, and if not, what is its regulatory status?
  • What does the current specialist guideline say about it for hip osteoarthritis?
  • What will be measured to judge the result, and when?
  • What does it cost in total, including any repeat treatments?
  • If it does not help, what are the next options?

Questions about how long any result lasts are covered in our article on how long rejuvenation treatment results last.

Getting your hip assessed in Houston

If hip pain is limiting you and you want to talk through regenerative options, call (346) 581-1547 or send us a message to ask what an evaluation involves. Questions about resurfacing or replacement belong with an orthopedic surgeon. Houston Regenerative Medicine is at 100 Glenborough Dr, Suite 0403j, Houston, TX 77067.

You can also read our hip treatment page.

This content is provided for general informational purposes only and is not medical advice. It does not create a doctor-patient relationship and it is not a substitute for evaluation by a licensed clinician. Individual results vary and no outcome is promised. Therapies using a patient’s own cells are regulated under FDA 21 CFR Part 1271 and are not FDA-approved drug products.

Sources

  • American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, OrthoInfo, Osteoarthritis of the Hip (orthoinfo.org). Accessed 14 October 2026.
  • American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, OrthoInfo, Hip Arthroscopy (orthoinfo.org). Accessed 14 October 2026.
  • American College of Rheumatology, 2026 Update of the American College of Rheumatology Recommendations for the Management of Osteoarthritis of the Knee, Hip, and Hand (summary, posted 14 September 2026, rheumatology.org). Accessed 14 October 2026.
  • Kolasinski SL, et al. 2019 American College of Rheumatology/Arthritis Foundation Guideline for the Management of Osteoarthritis of the Hand, Hip, and Knee. Arthritis & Rheumatology 2020;72(2):220 to 233. doi:10.1002/art.41142.
  • US Food and Drug Administration, Important Patient and Consumer Information About Regenerative Medicine Therapies (content current as of 8 April 2024). Accessed 14 October 2026.
  • MedlinePlus, Hip pain (review date 4 June 2025). Accessed 14 October 2026.
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