Association of preoperative hip motion and sciatic nerve palsy following total hip arthroplasty

This retrospective study investigated the possible correlation between preoperative hip range of motion (ROM) and postoperative sciatic nerve palsy. From 1971 to 1987, 12 patients with partial sciatic nerve palsies subsequent to total hip arthroplasty (THA) without known etiologies were identified. During this same period a random sample of 340 patients with 373 palsy-free THAs were also identified. To exclude possible bias from revision patients (revision procedures are reported to have an increased incidence of postoperative nerve palsies), the patients were divided into three groups: (1) all THAs; (2) primary THAs; and (3) revision THAs. The preoperative hip motions studied were flexion, abduction, adduction, internal rotation, and external rotation. Analysis of the data showed no correlation between limited ROM preoperatively and the risk of postoperative nerve palsy for any of the three groups.