Dislocation after total hip arthroplasty (THA) is one of the most common major complications, and occurs more often through a posterior approach. We performed a retrospective study to determine the incidence of early dislocation and the relationship to the type of prosthesis and the surgeon's experience.
A group of 884 consecutive primary THAs (746 cemented and 138 cementless) approached through a posterior incision with repair of the posterior soft tissues was followed for a mean of 30 months.
The overall dislocation rate was 1.36% (cemented: 1.1%; cementless: 2.9%). All dislocations were posterior and occurred within 6 months after surgery, 91% within 6 weeks. Dislocations were most common in rheumatoid patients (3.8%). Two revisions (0.23%) of the acetabular cup were performed for recurrent dislocations. The dislocation rate was not higher in the operations performed by less experienced surgeons.
The early dislocation rate after primary THA through a posterior approach with repair of the posterior soft tissues was low, especially in cemented THA. Less experienced surgeons were not associated with a higher dislocation rate.