The overall mortality rate in patients with total hip arthroplasty, with special reference to coxarthrosis.

The mortality rate was calculated in 1385 patients with total hip arthroplasties compared with the population at risk in the period from 1968 to 1981. In elderly women with coxarthrosis, after the age of 70, the mortality rate decreased after the first postoperative year. There was no such effect in men. In women, there were no changes in mortality rate in those who had had revision operations, whereas in men operated on for coxarthrosis who were over the age of 70, there was an increased mortality rate after the first postoperative year following revision. Patients operated on for complications after hip fracture and/or rheumatoid arthritis had an increased mortality rate after the first postoperative year, including both women and men below age 70.