The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Vol 64, Issue 3 366-377, Copyright © 1982 by Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Inc
Early results and complications of surface replacement of the hip
MN Jolley, EA Salvati and GC Brown
We analyzed the early results and complications of surface replacement
arthroplasties of the hip performed at The Hospital for Special Surgery.
Fifty-six hips in fifty-one patients were operated on from August 1977
through April 1979. Fifty-five of these hips in fifty patients were
available for study after an average follow-up of thirty-six months.
Thirty-five hips had an excellent result and thirteen, a good result. Seven
arthroplasties were failures, an alarming number in view of the relatively
short follow-up. Three of the seven failures were in hips with rheumatoid
arthritis, even though only 21 per cent of the hips that had surface
replacement were rheumatoid. As a result of this high failure rate, our
present attitude toward surface replacement is one of caution, especially
in patients with inflammatory arthritis.