COMPLICATIONS OF HIP-ARTHROPLASTY CAUSING PERIPROSTHETIC RADIOLUCENCYON PLAIN RADIOGRAPHS

The technique of hip arthroplasty is at least 30 years old and current ly is performed 120,000 times per year in the United States [1]. Chang es in materials and surgical techniques have markedly decreased the pr evalence of infection and aseptic loosening. At the same time, other c omplications such as stress shielding and aggressive granulomatosis ha ve become increasingly important complications of joint replacement [2 ]. All four of these entities manifest radiographically as periprosthe tic lucency (Fig. 1). The purpose of this essay is to illustrate the p lain film findings of each of these complications.