BACKGROUND:Primary dislocation after total hip arthroplasty is a major complication, besides prosthesis loosening. It is controversial whether joint capsule and external rotators should be repaired during total hip arthroplasty through posterolateral approach.
OBJECTIVE:To explore the clinical significance of joint capsule and external rotator repair on preventing hip dislocation after primary total hip arthroplasty through posterolateral approach.
METHODClinical data of patients with primary or secondary hip osteoarthritis after primary total hip arthroplasty through posterolateral approach were retrospectively analyzed. They were assigned to two groups according to different strategies of soft tissue repair. Control group did not receive posterior soft tissue repair. Combined repair group received the repair of joint capsule and short external rotators. Al patients were fol owed up for more than 1 year. Early dislocation was defined as the dislocation occurred within 1 year after operation. The effects of different repair methods on early dislocation rate were compared.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:There were 362 patients. Total y 390 case-times of primary total hip arthroplasty were included. Early dislocation occurred in 7 cases, of which 6 case-times in the control group (2.2%, 6/268), and 1 case-time in the repair group (0.8%, 1/122). There were significant differences in the incidence rate of early dislocation between the repair group and control group (P=0.012). These findings confirmed that the combined repair of posterior joint capsule and short external rotators could decrease the rate of early dislocation after primary total hip arthroplasty through posterolateral approach.