How long will a hip replacement function before revision surgery is necessary?
In a presentation at the Harvard Medical School sponsored course, “Total Hip Replacement: The Dawn of a New Era” in September 1999, Dr. McGrory presented the results of total hip replacements preformed by Dr. Omar D. Crothers with a minimum 10 year follow-up. At a median follow-up of 13.2 years, 74 % of the total hip replacements studied had not been revised, and the majority of these were functioning well. On follow-up radiographs, there was significant wearing of the plastic (ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene) portion of the hip replacement in 13 %. Radiograph of a hip replacement showing that the femoral head (ball) has worn into the plastic lining of the acetabulum (cup). Note the dark area above the cup which shows bone loss due to a reaction to the small plastic particles produced. Of the 26 % that underwent revision surgery, over one-half had surgery to insert a new plastic component of the hip replacement. This study is valuable because it one of the longest follow-up st
