SURGICAL EXPERIENCE RELATED TO DISLOCATIONS AFTER TOTAL HIP-ARTHROPLASTY

We studied the effect of surgical experience on the dislocation rate a fter 4230 primary total hip arthroplasties (THAs) all performed using the posterior approach at three orthopaedic centres at major county ho spitals. There were 129 postoperative (3%) dislocations. Twice the num ber of dislocations were registered for inexperienced surgeons as for their more experienced colleagues, This frequency of dislocation level led off with increasing numbers of operations and remained constant af ter approximately 30. For every ten primary THAs performed annually, t he risk of dislocation decreased by 50%.