Mortality, morbidity, and 1-year outcomes of primary elective total hip arthroplasty.
Williams O., Fitzpatrick R., Hajat S., Reeves BC., Stimpson A., Morris RW., Murray DW., Rigge M., Gregg PJ., National Total Hip Replacement Outcome Study Steering Committee None.
No representative data exist on the risks of adverse outcomes of total hip arthroplasty (THA) in the United Kingdom. A prospective observational study of unselected THA operations was carried out in 5 U.K. regions. Adverse outcomes were assessed from the hospital case notes and general practitioners of 1,100 randomly selected patients and from 7,151 patient-completed questionnaires 3 and 12 months after THA. Three-month mortality was 0.4% to 0.7%. Dislocation and thromboembolic complications were about 3% and 4%. Perioperative fracture, sciatic nerve palsy, aseptic loosening, and revision each had a risk of < or = 1%. At 1 year, 2.6% of patients had undergone another operation on the same hip, 11% reported moderate or severe pain in the operated hip, 23% had severe walking restriction, and 11% were dissatisfied with the operation. Patients and surgeons in the United Kingdom should have access to this information when making a decision about THA.