[Clinical evaluation tools of total hip arthroplasties]

Total hip arthroplasty is one of the most efficient hip surgery procedures enabling improved function in the vast majority of operated patients. The major long-term complication is aseptic loosening due to an inflammatory response to particle wear debris coming from the bearings. Polyethylene is the key culprit. Currently two solutions are proposed: eliminating polyethylene from the prosthetic articulation or reducing material wear. This leads to the need for reliable tools for evaluating short-term results, predictive of long-term outcome. When the innovation concerns reduction of polyethylene wear, short-term wear should be measured with software methods or radiostereometry. If the innovation concerns improvement of polyethyleneless implants, then short-term migration should be measured with EBRA or radiostereometry. In addition, the long-term retrospective evaluation of large series of patients remains of major interest provided that it is performed with survival analysis. These different methods are detailed in this study, indicating the pros and cons for each solution.