Osteoarthritis is when inflammation and injury to a joint break down the cushioning cartilage tissue. Hip resurfacing is a surgical treatment that can delay the need to replace the whole hip. In hip resurfacing, your surgeon takes out the diseased hip joint surfaces and replace them with metal. You keep your thigh bone, which allows you to have any hip replacement surgeries later. Rather than removing the ball of the hip socket, your surgeon covers it with a metal cap.