[Revision hip arthroplasty with the cementless prosthesis: 4 years follow-up study]

To examine the two to eight-year results associated with the use of this hip system.

Between November 1996 and January 2001, 56 revision total hip arthroplasties with insertion of a Zweymüller BICON-PLUS cup and a cementless SLR-PLUS stem were performed in 55 consecutive patients (average age, fifty-nine years old, range, thirty to eighty years old).

At the time of the latest follow-up, 23 patients (24 hips) had lost to follow-up, leaving 32 patients for a minimum of 2 years of clinical and radiographical follow-up. The mean follow-up time was 4 years. Only 3 peri-operative complications occurred, including 1 great trochanter fracture during implant removal, 1 dislocation 2 d after operation with successful closed reduction, and 1 deep wound infection which necessitated reentry and debridement. No femoral stems or cups needed re-revision surgery. The average Harris hip score increased from 40.6 points preoperatively to 80.4 points at final follow-up. Radiographic analysis demonstrated that the position of stems and cups was unchanged and all showed radiographic evidence of bone ingrowth.

The favourable medium-term clinical results with the cementless Zweymüller hip system show that it is suitable as a revision system for total hip failures of both cemented and cementless primary fixation.