TOTAL HIP-ARTHROPLASTY USING ISOELASTIC FEMORAL STEMS - A 7-YEAR TO 9-YEAR FOLLOW-UP IN 108 PATIENTS

From 1983 to 1985 we performed 114 primary hip replacements in 108 con secutive osteoarthritic patients using a non-cemented RM isoelastic fe moral stem. After a mean follow-up of 8.2 years, ten patients had died , 11 hips had been revised, six patients had been lost to follow-up an d two had been excluded due to severe general illnesses. Of 85 arthrop lasties (in 79 patients) 14 could not be assessed because of other ill ness or disability. The 71 remaining were reviewed by questionnaire an d radiography; an excellent or good overall functional result was foun d in 31, 16 were fair and 24 were poor. Radiographically, 21 of 71 ste ms were judged to be loose and ten showed osteolytic foci, six of thes e without obvious loosening. We conclude that the isoelastic RM stem s hows a high rate of loosening, but that this is not always associated with a poor subjective result. Regular radiographic review is necessar y. The results are worse than those reported for other uncemented stem s and for cemented stems.