NAPROXEN FOR 8 DAYS CAN PREVENT HETEROTOPIC OSSIFICATION AFTER HIP-ARTHROPLASTY

The effect of 1 week of treatment with naproxen on the formation of he terotopic ossification after cemented total hip arthroplasty was studi ed in a prospective trial, Twenty-seven patients received 500 mg napro xen twice daily for 7 days postoperatively. The medication was started on the morning of the operation, The results were compared with a con trol group of 23 patients from a previous study who had not received a ny type of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug, All radiographs were mi xed randomly, and patient identification was blinded, Three months aft er the operation, heterotopic ossification had developed in 12 (52%) p atients in the control group and in 3 (11%) patients in the naproxen-t reated group, One year after the operation, 4 (17%) patients in the na proxen-treated group and 12 (52%) in the control group had heterotopic ossification (p < 0.05), Severe ossification developed in 3 patients in the control group and in none in the naproxen-treated group, The au thors conclude that naproxen given for 1 week can decrease the inciden ce of heterotopic ossification after total hip arthroplasty.