Bilateral total hip arthroplasty: one-stage versus two-stage procedure.

BACKGROUND:: Despite several studies, controversy has prevailed over the rate of complications following 1-stage and 2-stage bilateral total hip arthroplasty (THA). In the current study, we compare the complications and functional outcomes of 1-stage and 2-stage procedures. METHODS:: One hundred and eighty patients (ASA class I or II) with bilateral hip osteoarthritis were assigned randomly to two equal groups. The two groups were matched in terms of age and sex. All of the surgeries were performed via the Hardinge approach using uncemented implants. In 2-stage procedures, surgeries were performed with a 6-month to 1-year interval. All patients were evaluated 1 year postoperatively. RESULTS:: The Harris Hip Score (HHS) averaged 84.1 and 82.6 in 1-stage and 2-stage groups, respectively ( p = 0.528). The hospital stay was significantly longer in the 2-stage group (9.8 days vs. 4.9 days). The cumulative haemoglobin drop and the number of transfused blood units were the same. One patient in each group developed symptomatic deep venous thrombosis which was managed successfully. There was no patient with perioperative death, pulmonary embolism, infection, dislocation, periprosthetic fracture or heterotrophic ossification. No patient required reoperation. Two patients in the 1-stage group developed unilateral temporary peroneal nerve palsy, which was resolved after 3-4 months. CONCLUSION:: 1-stage bilateral THA can be used successfully for patients with bilateral hip disease without increasing the rate of complications. Functional and clinical outcomes are comparable and hospital stay is significantly shorter.

Diagnostic efficacy of clinical tests for lumbar spinal instability.

BACKGROUND: Although various clinical tests are utilized to assess lumbar spine instability (LSI), few have documented diagnostic efficacy. We assessed the diagnostic efficacy of four clinical and one radiographic test for LSI in patients with degenerative lumbar disease. METHODS: A cohort of 52 patients with pain attributed to lumbar spine stenosis and degenerative spondylolisthesis were prospectively evaluated utilizing dynamic X-rays, the passive lumbar extension (PLE) test, instability catch sign, painful catch sign, and the apprehension sign. The results of these preoperative tests were compared with spinal surgeons' intraoperative documentation of spinal instability considered in this study as the "gold" standard. RESULTS: Intraoperatively, 33 patients demonstrated instability (63.5%) whereas 28 had motion documented on preoperative dynamic radiography. The sensitivity, specificity, positive, and negative predictive value and accuracy of dynamic radiography were 84.8%, 100%, 100%, 79.1%, and 90.4%, respectively. The diagnostic efficiency of PLE was higher than other additional studies - sensitivity 78.8%, specificity 94.7%, positive predictive value 96.3%, negative predictive value 72%, and accuracy rate 84.6%. CONCLUSION: Dynamic radiography was more reliable than any of the clinical tests in diagnosing LSI. Among the latter, PLE had the highest diagnostic value for establishing LSI.

Open Anterior Hip Dislocation in A Child: A Rare Mechanism of Injury.

Traumatic anterior dislocation of the hip is an extremely rare condition in children and open dislocation is even rarer. This isusually caused by high-energy trauma. In the current study, we present a case of an eight-year-old child suffering from an open anterior-inferior dislocation of the right hip concomitant with pelvic ring disruption and an ipsilateral open distal femoral fracture (Salter-Harris type 4, Gustilo type IIIA) caused by a traffic accident. The patient underwent successful emergent open reduction due to the buttonholed femoral head after appropriate irrigation and debridement. Successful recovery was achieved and the patient was discharged after two weeks. After nine months of follow-up, the X-ray images showed slight changes related to the osteonecrosis of the femoral head. Long-term follow-up over a period of six years showed sufficient range of motion. The patient's gait was normal and he was satisfied with the outcome. In addition, slight non-progressive osteonecrotic changes were obvious in the right hip.