Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 3, 2026
Individualized Stem-positioning in Calcar-guided Short-stem Total Hip Arthroplasty
Published on: February 27, 2018
Insights
Total hip arthroplasty (THA) dislocation is a common reason for revision surgery. Understanding the causes of hip instability is crucial for effective revision strategies and improving patient outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Biomedical Engineering
- Arthroplasty Research
Background:
- Hip dislocation is a frequent complication following total hip arthroplasty (THA), leading to patient suffering, increased risks, and healthcare costs.
- Dislocation rates vary significantly based on the underlying cause, being substantially higher in cases of avascular necrosis, congenital dislocation, fracture, nonunion, malunion, failed hip arthroplasty, and prosthetic instability compared to degenerative arthritis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the causes and contributing factors of hip instability after total hip arthroplasty (THA).
- To review revision strategies for unstable total hip arthroplasty (THA).
Main Methods:
- Review of literature on total hip arthroplasty (THA) instability.
- Classification of instability causes into local (with or without radiographic findings) and non-local (patient-related factors).
Main Results:
- Instability in THA can stem from local hip issues or non-local factors like patient compliance or neurological disorders.
- Specific conditions like avascular necrosis, congenital dislocation, and prior hip surgeries significantly increase dislocation risk.
Conclusions:
- Effective revision of unstable total hip arthroplasty (THA) requires addressing the root cause of instability.
- Revision strategies often involve correcting the etiology and may include upsizing the femoral head and liner to enhance stability.
Abstract:
One of the most common causes for revision surgery following total hip arthroplasty (THA) is dislocation.Dislocation is associated with a considerable amount of suffering and risks for the patient, and extra costs for the health care system.Compared with degenerative arthritis, the dislocation rate is doubled for avascular necrosis and multiplied by three times for congenital dislocation, four for fracture, five for nonunion, malunion or a failed hip arthroplasty, and eleven times after surgery for prosthetic instability.In analysing instability the cause may be assessed as 1) locally caused within the hip with explanatory radiographic findings, 2) locally caused without explanatory radiographic findings or 3) non-locally caused, i.e. non-compliant patient, neuromuscular or cognitive disorders.Revision strategies for instability are typically directed to correct the underlying aetiology, but also to strive for an upsizing of the head and liner. Cite this article: Ullmark G. The unstable total hip arthroplasty. EFORT Open Rev 2016;1:83-88. DOI: 10.1302/2058-5241.1.000022.
More Related Videos
09:51The Transition to an Anterior-Based Muscle Sparing Approach Improves Early Postoperative Function but is Associated with a Learning Curve
Published on: September 7, 2022
07:45The Use of Mixed Reality in Custom-Made Revision Hip Arthroplasty: A First Case Report
Published on: August 4, 2022