[Intraoperative assessment of leg length in alloplastic hip joint replacement]

A new measuring device has been developed at the Orthopedic Clinic of the University of Tübingen. Its task is to ensure that the right length of leg is selected intraoperatively. The method of measurement can be used in all approaches for alloplastic hip replacement when the patient is in the supine position. Measurement is quick, non-invasive, and can be carried out in a direct comparison to the contralateral leg, using measuring points at the iliac crest and the upper edge of the patella. In a prospective randomized study we were able to demonstrate on 53 patients that the use of this newly-developed measuring device improves the accuracy of the length of the operated leg as compared to the contralateral leg, so that the difference is only +/- 0.5 cm (post-operative difference in length of leg without use of the measuring device 1.1 cm on average, with the measuring device 0.5 cm; p < 0.05).