Immediate weight bearing after cementless total hip arthroplasty

This study analyzed 399 Balance femoral stems to determine whether immediate full weight bearing following total hip arthroplasty affected radiographic osseointegration. Postoperatively, all patients were permitted unlimited weight bearing. Findings demonstrated osseointegration was successful in 99.5% of femoral components. Of these, 0.5% subsided in the first 6 postoperative weeks and then osseointegrated; 0.5% failed to osseointegrate. Patients with Dorr C bone had a significantly increased rate of subsidence (P=.006). These findings indicate the Balance stem reliably osseointegrates without subsidence in patients with Dorr A or B bone, despite immediate full weight bearing.