Dislocation following total hip replacement: causes and cures

Dislocation is one of the most common causes of patient and surgeon dissatisfaction following hip replacement and to treat it, the causes must first be understood. Patient factors include age greater than 70 years, medical comorbidities, female gender, ligamentous laxity, revision surgery, issues with the abductors, and patient education. Surgeon factors include the annual quantity of procedures and experience, the surgical approach, adequate restoration of femoral offset and leg length, component position, and soft-tissue or bony impingement. Implant factors include the design of the head and neck region, and so-called skirts on longer neck lengths. There should be offset choices available in order to restore soft-tissue tension. Lipped liners aid in gaining stability, yet if improperly placed may result in impingement and dislocation. Late dislocation may result from polyethylene wear, soft-tissue destruction, trochanteric or abductor disruption and weakness, or infection. Understanding the causes of hip dislocation facilitates prevention in a majority of instances. Proper pre-operative planning includes the identification of patients with a high offset in whom inadequate restoration of offset will reduce soft-tissue tension and abductor efficiency. Component position must be accurate to achieve stability without impingement. Finally, patient education cannot be over-emphasised, as most dislocations occur early, and are preventable with proper instructions.