Revision hip arthroplasty is an operation which is steadily increasing in n
umber and can often be technically challenging. We have utilised a regional
hip register (the Trent Regional Arthroplasty Study) to analyse the epidem
iology of revision hip arthroplasties in a single UK health region.
The study shows that of the large number (1265) of procedures performed ove
r a 7-year period (1991-1997), the majority were performed by general ortho
paedic surgeons, with 91 different surgeons performing the operation and on
ly two surgeons performing more than 20 procedures per year.
Of more than 100 prosthetic combinations used for the procedure, the Charnl
ey prosthesis was the most common (38.3% of acetabular revisions and 37.5%
of femoral revisions). The same component was also the most commonly explan
ted (43%).
There was an even geographical spread across the region with revision hip a
rthroplasty being performed in all hospitals with an orthopaedic in-patient
facility.
Prospective audit of this large and varied cohort is necessary to determine
differences in outcome (if any) between 'specialist' hip surgeons and gene
ral orthopaedic surgeons.