The operation that changed everything
Total Hip Replacement (THR) was pioneered at Wrightington Hospital by Professor John Charnley in the 1950s and 1960s.
A landmark in twentieth century surgery, THR is now one of the most performed elective surgical procedures, with over one million operations performed each year worldwide.
Charnley’s work completely transformed previous attempts to make THR surgery reproducible and successful. This led to the widespread adoption of Charnley’s method, with surgeons visiting Wrightington from around the world in order to learn how to carry out the procedure.
John Charnley’s remarkable breakthrough was described as ‘the operation of the century’.
Its development was associated with innovations in materials, instruments, techniques and operative procedures. Many have been adapted to treat other joints, playing an important role in alleviating pain and restoring mobility to millions of arthritis sufferers.
