ARTERIAL CIRCULATION DISORDERS AS A FACTOR IN PLANNING HIP-REPLACEMENT SURGERY

Between 1980 and 1990 a total of 17 patients who had undergone or had been selected for total hip replacement were treated in the Department of Surgery at Munster University. Angiographic studies performed beca use of persistent symptoms revealed circulatory disorders of the pelvi c floor. Vascular surgery was necessary to eliminate symptoms in these patients. Postoperative complications in 3 patients following total h ip replacement were also only eliminated by vascular surgery. In the p resent authors' view, failure to recognize preoperatively existing art erial circulation disorders can lead to misdiagnosis and severe postop erative complications. Every hip replacement operation should be prece ded by a thorough clinical and - if doubt persists - an angiological e xamination. Documented arterial circulation disorders should be elimin ated by vascular surgery prior to hip surgery.