Evaluation of painful hip arthroplasty.

The evaluation of chronic pain after hip arthroplasty has always been a difficult problem and recently scintigraphy has been recommended as a suitable method of examination for this purpose. On the basis of radiographic and laboratory studies, scintigraphy, allergy tests, cultures and histological examinations, in 16 patients with chronic pain in the hip after arthroplasty, it is concluded that radiography and scintigraphy together give valuable information about the cause of pain, especially if the prosthesis is infected. Fenestration of the femoral cortex may verify the diagnosis before replacement of the prosthesis.