Clinical and radiological short-term complications after single-stage bilateral uncemented total hip arthroplasty

Economic crisis time gives to efficient procedures an important role in healthy system. Total hip replacement is a common bilateral orthopedic procedure, but there exists an important controversy to perform it in single or two stages. Our aim is to report our clinical and radiological short-term complications of bilateral uncemented total hip arthroplasty in a single time.

We have retrospectively reviewed the patients treated between 2000 and 2011 in our center by bilateral uncemented total hip replacement in a single time. We have reviewed the medical history and analyzed by age, diagnosis and ASA parameters related to the procedure, hospital stay, transfusion requirements and clinical complications. Radiological evaluation was made with anteroposterior hip radiograph evaluation (acetabular radiolucencies and stem migration). Functional assessment was carried out by the Merle D'Aubigné score.

Seventeen patients with mean age of 47.4 (18-68) years were reviewed with a mean follow-up of 44.3 (6-172) months. ASA distribution: 29.4 % grade I; 52.9 % grade II and 17.6 % grade III. Merlé D'Aubigné score improved from 11.01 to 16.45. Hospital stay was 6 days. Transfusion requirements were two hematic concentrates for each patient. Two external popliteal sciatic nerve neurapraxias fully recovered at follow-up. Radiological results showed one case of axial migration.

With proper patient selection and multidisciplinary team, the bilateral uncemented total hip arthroplasty in a single time has low complication rates. Our results could be used in the development of future randomized controlled trials or prospective cohort studies.

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