Osteoarthritis Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Osteoarthritis, including details on treatment, symptoms, causes, medication.

The effect of hip resurfacing on oxygen concentration in the femoral head.

Steffen RT, Smith SR, Urban JP, McLardy-Smith P, Beard DJ, Gill HS, Murray DW

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, Windmill Road, Oxford OX3 7LD, UK.

We inserted an electrode up the femoral neck into the femoral head of ten patients undergoing a metal-on-metal hip resurfacing arthroplasty through a posterior surgical approach and measured the oxygen concentration during the operation. In every patient the blood flow was compromised during surgery, but the extent varied. In three patients, the oxygen concentration was zero at the end of the procedure. The surgical approach caused a mean 60% drop (p < 0.005) in oxygen concentration while component insertion led to a further 20% drop (p < 0.04). The oxygen concentration did not improve significantly on wound closure. This study demonstrates that during hip resurfacing arthroplasty, patients experience some compromise to their femoral head blood supply and some have complete disruption.

Published 1 November 2005 in J Bone Joint Surg Br, 87(11): 1468-74.
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