Evaluation of the painful hip by aspiration and arthrography.

The preoperative or postoperative painful hip can present a difficult diagnostic problem. In a series of 46 aspirations on such hips, one instance of Staphylococcus aureus, three instances of Staphylococcus albus, one instance of Escherichia coli and one instance of tuberculous infections were diagnosed. In addition, in a series of 22 fluoroscopically controlled arthrograms performed on patients with painful total hip replacements, six instances of loose acetabular components and one instance of a broken femoral stem were found.