Complications after hip rearthroplastics with revision endoprosthesis

The stability of the revision endoprosthesis components is more difficult to achieve than in primary endoprosthesis due to large bone defects and/or decreased bone mass quality. That is the reason for more frequent complications for revision than in primary arthroplasty. The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of complications in 122 patients who were operated with the revision endoprosthesis in the Department of Orthopedics in University Hospital Split in the period of 1998 to 2007 and accepted to participate in this study. There were 3 patients treated on bought hips. The average follow up time was four years (0.6-10.6). There were 32 (26.2%) males and 90 (73.8%) females. The average age was 70.66 +/- 7.63 years. The average time from operation to physical therapy was 3.53 +/- 2.56 days. There were 27 (21.6%) complications. The most common complication was infection in 9 (7.2%) cases. From those cases, 4 (3.2%) had superficial, and 5 (4%) had deep infection. From other complications, there were 5 (4%) endoprosthesis reluxations, 2 (1.6%) periprosthetic femur fractures, 5 (4%) urinary infections, and 6 (4.8%) other complications (lung mycroembolia, heart infarction, lumbal plexus lesion from L2, spinal cord infarction with paraplegia, pneumonia and severe sacral bed-sore). There were 10 (8%) re-interventions following the revision arthroplasty. The result was good or excellent in 80% of operated patients, satisfied in 17%, and bad in 3%. The revision hip procedures are characterized with a high complications incidence rate. Our results are comparable with the results from literature.