Revision operations on infected total hip arthroplasties. Two- to nine-year follow-up study.

One hundred two of 110 infected hip arthroplasties revised with the protection of gentamicin-loaded cement were followed for a minimum of two years. In 77 of 102 hips the infection healed after one revision operation and in five of eight hips after a second revision operation, representing a final healing rate of 80%. No significant difference in healing rate could be demonstrated with regard to individual bacterial species. However, in infections with a mixed flora, the healing rate was only 27% (p less than .01). After an average of six years, 33 of 82 healed hips had signs of roentgenographic loosening, nine of which had been revised. The modified Merle d'Aubigne and Postel score averaged 5.3 for pain, 3.7 for walking ability, and 4.0 for range of motion (ROM) in patients with healed infections.