BIPOLAR HEMIARTHROPLASTY FOR PRIMARY OSTEOARTHRITIS OF THE HIP

One hundred twenty-five bipolar hemiarthroplasties of the hip were per formed at the authors' hospital. Although the procedure was performed for acute femoral neck fractures, rheumatoid arthritis, revision hemia rthroplasty, and primary osteoarthritis, only the latter is the subjec t of this review. A modified Harris hip score (HHS) was used to evalua te the patients both preoperatively and postoperatively. Radiographs w ere taken preoperatively as well as postoperatively at 2-, 4-, 6-, and 24-month intervals. A total of 68 patients underwent bipolar hemiarth roplasty for primary hip osteoarthritis. The mean preoperative HHS was 35.5 (SEM = 1.86); the mean postoperative score was 81.2 (SEM = 1.64) with an average improvement of 45.7 (SEM = 2.03). The results of this review were compared to a control group of conventional total hip art hroplasties performed at the same institution. The mean postoperative HHS for the group of conventional arthroplasties was 87.2 (SEM = 1.07) . The results of this review indicate a good clinical result from bipo lar hemiarthroplasty, but significantly less postoperative function wh en compared to conventional total hip arthroplasty.