ABSTRACT
End-stage arthritic conditions of the hip rob patients of their quality of life. Total hip arthroplasty has been a salvation to these patients, relieving pain and restoring function. Total hip arthroplasty has been demonstrated to be one of the most cost-effective and cost-saving medical interventions known (Figure 1) (1,2). Indeed, total hip arthroplasty has been one of the truly remarkable medical advances of the past 40 years. Limitations of early designs prompted surgeons to offer total hip arthroplasty to elderly patients over the age of 70 for whom a resection arthroplasty would be a viable option (3-10). The success of total hip arthroplasty in these individuals has led to a continual expansion of these indications. Most patients offered total hip arthroplasty are over 60 years of age; but in institutions such as ours, 20% of total hip arthroplasties are now performed in patients less than 55 years of age. Continuous improvements in total hip replacement design, metallurgy, fixation, and bearing surfaces has allowed this expansion of indications for total hip arthroplasty.
