WHICH PRIMARY TOTAL HIP-REPLACEMENT

To assist surgeons to select a total hip replacement (THR) we present comparative information on all such implants on the market in the UK. We identified 62 different primary THRs, manufactured by 19 companies; half had been introduced in the last five years, and only 30% have an y results published in peer-reviewed journals, The prices range from p ound 250 to pound 2000, and the two cheapest implants have the longest reported follow-up. The number of TNR implants available in the UK, a nd presumably the rest of the world, is rapidly increasing, but there is little or no scientific evidence that the newer, more expensive, im plants are better than established designs, Some will undoubtedly be w orse. We believe that this situation is unsatisfactory and make recomm endations for improvement, in particular that preference be given to i mplants with good results in published peer-reviewed long-term clinica l trials.