Information for Medical Professionals

Primary hip replacement offers reliable long-term results

Primary hip replacement offers good long-term results in the elderly when it comes to treating displaced fractures of the femoral neck.

According to new research published in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, failure was far more likely following internal fixation of displaced fractures of the femoral neck when compared to total hip replacement.

Looking at 450 patients over the age of 70, the scientists found that the failure rate for internal fixation was 45.6 per cent after ten years, compared to just 8.8 per cent for those who had the offending joint totally replaced.

They said: "Patient-reported pain and function were similar in both groups at five and ten years.

"Those with successfully healed fractures had more hip pain and reduction of mobility at four months compared with patients with an uncomplicated replacement, and they never attained a better outcome than the latter patients regarding pain or function."

The research comes after a study presented at the 26th Current Concepts in Joint Replacement Winter Meeting, in which orthopaedic surgeon John Cuckler claimed unexplained pain following hip surgery must be thoroughly investigated.

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