Sciatic nerve injury after total hip replacement and total hip revision / 中华骨科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective The purpose was focused on discussing the causes of sciatic nerve injury following total hip replacement in order to introduce the methods for protecting sciatic nerve during operation by reviewing 655 consecutive total hip replacement and total hip revision. Methods From January 1998 to December 2001, 655 total hip replacement and total hip revision cases were performed in our hospital, 9 cases of which occurred as sciatic nerve injury postoperatively. There were 8 cases in 587 primary total hip replacements and one case in 68 total hip revisions. The 9 patients included 3 males with 3 hips and 6 females with 6 hips with an average age of 51 years ranging from 35 to 67 years old. In the group, 4 cases were diagnosed as avascular necrosis of femoral head, 2 cases as congenital acetabular dysplasia accompanied with osteoarthritis, 1 case as ankylosing spondylitis, 1 case as rheumatoid arthritis and 1 case as loosening of prosthesis. 8 prosthetic components of the hip were fixed by uncement, and the other one was fixed by cement. Results All of the 9 patients experienced sciatic nerve palsy sooner after operation, 8 cases of which suggested simple injury of common peroneal nerve, and 1 case a combined injury of common peroneal nerve and tibial nerve. Of the 9 cases, 7 cases underwent leg lengthening or soft tissue release because of hip joint stiffness during operation. After six to forty-eight months follow-up, the function of sciatic nerve was recovered completely in eight cases after half a year. The other one received total hip revision was not recovered from sciatic never palsy in six months, and the operation of never incision and exploration was performed. During operation, part of the sciatic nerve was found to become thinner without marked compression and other injury. Then release soft tissue around the injured never, the function of sciatic nerve was partly recovered one year after operation. Conclusion It is concluded that sciatic nerve injury associated with total hip arthroplasty is most commonly caused by over-lengthening the low extremity and mechanical compression. The function of sciatic nerve may be recovered in most patients with incomplete injury.