Total hip arthroplasty in the very young patient

The surgical management of end-stage hip disease in patients aged <30 years remains a challenge. Hip-preserving surgical procedures in the setting of advanced disease often do not provide adequate pain relief, but the implications of joint arthroplasty surgery in the very young patient are a matter of concern. The outcome of total hip arthroplasty (THA) in these patients varies, largely because of the wide spectrum of diagnoses associated with hip disease in this group, the complexity of deformities requiring THA, and the need for prolonged durability. The greatest number of THAs in this population is performed for secondary osteoarthritis or osteonecrosis, whereas most reports in the orthopaedic literature have focused on the outcomes of cemented THA in patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Given the frequent complexity of THA in the very young patient, special attention should be given to preoperative planning, implant selection, and patient education as well as to joint-preservation techniques to facilitate future hip arthroplasty surgery.