Bone and muscle mass after hip arthroplasty. A quantitative computed tomography study in 20 arthrosis cases

We performed a prospective, quantitative computed tomography (QCT) study of bone mineral density (BMD), cortical bone volume, bone mass and muscle volume in 20 patients who were operated on with cemented total hip arthroplasty because of unilateral arthrosis. Both extremities were measured preoperatively, 3 and 6 months after the operation by a single-energy computer tomograph equipped for bone mineral densitometry. Preoperatively, we found a 25 percent decrease in muscle volume of the thigh on the arthrosis side compared to the contralateral side, but only a 6 percent decrease in bone mass, mainly of the cortical bone volume in the middle femur. In the cancellous bone of distal femur and proximal tibia there was a reduction in BMD of 11 and 14 percent, respectively, compared to the contralateral side. After 6 months, we found no changes in cortical bone mass, either on the operated femur or on the contralateral, control femur. The BMD of cancellous bone in distal femur and proximal tibia had not changed. However, the thigh muscle on the operated side showed a strong recovery; 6 months after the operation there was a 19 percent gain on the operated side.