Early results and complications of surface replacement of the hip.

We analyzed the early results and complications of surface replacement arthroplasties of the hip performed at The Hospital for Special Surgery. Fifty-six hips in fifty-one patients were operated on from August 1977 through April 1979. Fifty-five of these hips in fifty patients were available for study after an average follow-up of thirty-six months. Thirty-five hips had an excellent result and thirteen, a good result. Seven arthroplasties were failures, an alarming number in view of the relatively short follow-up. Three of the seven failures were in hips with rheumatoid arthritis, even though only 21 per cent of the hips that had surface replacement were rheumatoid. As a result of this high failure rate, our present attitude toward surface replacement is one of caution, especially in patients with inflammatory arthritis.