Hip arthroplasty in patients with chronic renal failure.

Patients with chronic renal failure who underwent total hip arthroplasty were retrospectively evaluated. Thirty hips in patients with renal transplants and 16 hips in patients on chronic renal dialysis were reviewed. The average follow-up period was 54 months. The renal transplant patients exhibited generally satisfactory results. Their postoperative course was comparable to that of patients with avascular necrosis undergoing hip reconstruction without underlying renal disease. However, patients undergoing hip arthroplasty while on chronic renal dialysis had poor results (81%), including a deep infection rate of 19%. It was concluded that total hip arthroplasty be reserved for patients who are expecting a renal transplant or preferably those who have already received a successful transplant.