Abstract This paper looks at how 144,000 total hip arthroplasties are performed annually in the United States and how, of these, approximately 100,000 are due to osteoarthritis of the hip joint. It examines how candidates for total hip replacements most commonly present with pain and often with reduced range of motion and how a total hip arthroplasty is performed only when all other possible methods of treatment have failed. It shows how the main cause for choosing this treatment option is osteoarthritis, the degeneration of articular cartilage in the joint, and how other causes include rheumatoid arthritis, trauma, post traumatic arthritis, and congenital deformities.
From the Paper "The intraoperative problems associated with total hip arthroplasty are thrombophlebitis (a blood clot in the large veins of the leg), infection, nerve injury, vascular injury, cement reaction/fat embolus, and fracture/canal perforation3,4. During the surgery, the most difficult step is obtaining proper alignment and positioning of the acetabular cup. This is important because it will affect the range of motion and the loading of the joint, as well as directly affecting the life of the implant. A cup protector must be utilized to protect the acetabular cup from scratches from bone, instruments, and debris. It is also imperative to sufficiently ream the femoral canal and to apply an even cement mantle. Additional problems commonly seen postoperatively include stem subsidence, dislocation, aseptic loosening, wear that can lead to systemic effects, weakening of surrounding bone (bone resorption), instability, and fracture."
