@madzik09: Thank you for sharing your concerns at Mayo Clinic Connect on the basis of conflicting opinons and your findings. You are correct that they don't fit the typical criteria many orthopedics use as qualifying factors for a total hip replacement (THR) - which I myself will be undergoing in early September. I will share that in my case I do have decreased joint space and advanced OA (osteoarthritis) that was hastened by avascular necrosis - bone death following the placement of screws to treat a broken hip some years ago.

I suspect the rationale for not doing surgey by the doctor who stated you may not have a good outcome may be due to some uncertainty as to the hip being the actual pain generator for the discomfort you're experiencing. There are many factors to be considered prior to resorting to surgery that medical professionals usually want to evaluate or rule out first, such as prior conservative treatment - such as you have had and stated have not yielded benefit - and how this impacts your daily functioning. Have you had to modify your daily activity? Rely on pain medications on a regular basis? Use an assistive device? Have you undergone or discussed all diagnostic testing, such as hip arthrogram or explored the possibility of spinal issues contributing to this pain? It's very frustrating in such cases to try to narrow down the cause but before undergoing surgery it does help to know the risks and benefits, as well as the potentential limitations.

This is information that Mayo has on the topic of THR that may provide some additional guidance: https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/hip-replacement/about/pac-20385042

Ultimately it comes down to your decision based upon the discomfort you're in, the knowledge you have along with informed consent and the trust in the provider you choose. Keep in mind that people who undergo THRs do have various outcomes no matter what the underlyi ng cause, most with positive experiences, but no one can predict with any degree of certainty what your individual response may be. However, it does help to be as informed as possible as it appears you have been and are doing. Does this information assist with formulating a plan?