Rapid destructive osteoarthritis of the hip after intra-articular steroid injection

Rapid destructive osteoarthritis of the hip is a separate entity different from the usual osteoarthritis. It is usually seen in elderly women, and the characteristic feature is the rapid progression within 6 to 12 months to complete destruction of the joint. The exact etiology is not known. We present a rare case of rapid destructive osteoarthritis of the hip in a 62-year-old woman who developed it within 2 months of intra-articular steroid injection, which was managed well with uncemented total hip arthroplasty. Through this report, we emphasize the possibility of the disastrous complication of injection, which should be informed to the patient before any intra-articular injection.