Leg-length discrepancy after total hip arthroplasty.

Leg-length discrepancy after total hip arthroplasty can pose a substantial problem for the orthopaedic surgeon. Such discrepancy has been associated with complications including nerve palsy, low back pain, and abnormal gait. Careful preoperative measurement and assessment, as well as preoperative and postoperative patient education, are important factors in achieving an acceptable result. However, after total hip arthroplasty, equal leg length should not be guaranteed. Rather, the patient should be given a realistic assessment of what can reasonably be expected.

Patients' reasons for undergoing total hip arthroplasty can change over time.

The purpose of this study was to determine if a patient's reasons for undergoing a primary total hip arthroplasty (THA) changed at 1 year follow-up and, if the reasons did change, how does this change influence patient satisfaction with the procedure. Patients undergoing THA (101 patients) were evaluated with the McMaster Toronto Arthritis Patient Preference Disability (MACTAR) questionnaire and questions related to their expectations regarding the procedure. With the exception of pain and walking, most patients did not select the same preoperative and postoperative reasons for undergoing the procedure. In fact, 60% chose 2 new postoperative items. Patients whose expectations were not met were less likely to choose the same reasons for undergoing THA. Surgeons need to clarify patients' reasons for wanting a THA and attempt to identify new factors at follow-up that may influence patient satisfaction with the procedure.

Use of allograft for large Hill-Sachs lesion associated with anterior glenohumeral dislocation. A case report.

Though Hill-Sachs lesion is a common injury associated with anterior glenohumeral dislocation, there have been only few articles describing specific treatments for the humeral head defects. This paper described the case of an alternative treatment for large defect of the posterior-superior aspect of the humeral head using allograft. The patient was a 69-year-old male and the diagnosis was a chronic anterior dislocation of the right glenohumeral joint with a large impaction fracture of the posterior-superior aspect of the humeral head. The size of this defect was 4 cm by 2.5 cm in diameter with a 2 cm depth. To reduce the impaction fracture of the humeral head, a preserved frozen allograft of the femoral head was selected and configured to fit the defect. The graft was then impacted firmly down into the defect, and appeared to offer excellent stability even without adjuvant internal fixation. Two years after surgery, the patient was doing quite well with no complaints. Radiographs showed humeral head with incorporation of the graft and no evidence of collapse.

The impact of mixed components on polyethylene wear.

Wear rates were measured in 50 mixed and 71 matched total hip arthroplasties with > or = 3-year follow-up to determine whether implanting mixed hip components increased polyethylene wear. Average patient age was 61 years for the mixed group and 57 years for the matched group. Average radiographic follow-up was 5.8 years and 6.8 years, respectively. The average linear wear rate for the mixed and matched groups was 0.11 mm/y. Therefore, implanting same-size, total hip components from different manufacturers did not lead to large increases in polyethylene wear.