Trochanteric osteotomy for recurrent dislocation of total hip arthroplasty.

Twenty-one patients with recurrent dislocation of total hip arthroplasty were treated by trochanteric osteotomy and distal advancement of the greater trochanter. There were no malpositioned prostheses. In 17 patients no further dislocations occurred. One patient, who had the hip arthroplasty in a paretic leg, continued to dislocate after the osteotomy and the prosthetic components were removed 5 months after surgery. The remaining three patients became stable after further surgery: cup augmentation in one and reattachment of the greater trochanter in two. Advancement of the greater trochanter is recommended in patients with recurrent dislocation of their total hip arthroplasty when no apparent malposition of the prosthetic components can be identified.