Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 14, 2026
Direct Mouse Trauma/Burn Model of Heterotopic Ossification
Published on: August 6, 2015
Is etoricoxib effective in preventing heterotopic ossification after primary total hip arthroplasty?
Jaap J Brunnekreef1, Paul Hoogervorst, Marieke J Ploegmakers
1Department of Orthopaedics, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, P.O. Box 9101, 6500, HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Purpose:
Heterotopic ossification is a common complication after total hip arthroplasty. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are known to prevent heterotopic ossifications effectively, however gastrointestinal complaints are reported frequently. In this study, we investigated whether etoricoxib, a selective cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor that produces fewer gastrointestinal side effects, is an effective alternative for the prevention of heterotopic ossification.
Methods:
We investigated the effectiveness of oral etoricoxib 90 mg for seven days in a prospective two-stage study design for phase-2 clinical trials in a small sample of patients (n = 42). A cemented primary total hip arthroplasty was implanted for osteoarthritis. Six months after surgery, heterotopic ossification was determined on anteroposterior pelvic radiographs using the Brooker classification.
Results:
No heterotopic ossification was found in 62 % of the patients that took etoricoxib; 31 % of the patients had Brooker grade 1 and 7 % Brooker grade 2 ossification.
Conclusions:
Etoricoxib seems effective in preventing heterotopic ossification after total hip arthroplasty. This finding further supports the use of COX-2 inhibitors for the prevention of heterotopic ossification following total hip arthroplasty.