A review of 333 consecutive Charnley total hip arthroplasties four to
seven years after operation showed that twenty-eight patients had died, and
three deaths were directly related to the surgery. The survivors had an
average improvement of 46.6 points in their evaluation scores to a level of
91.3 points. Four deep infections occurred for which removal of the
prosthesis was required. Thirteen hips dislocated postoperatively, and five
of them required additional surgery. Three were four sciatic-nerve injuries
and all but one resolved. Wear of the acetabular component was evident in
seventeen hips, measuring two millimeters in six and one millimeter in
eleven. With the marking system used, accurate measurement of wear was not
possible. Roentgenographic evidence of loosening of the femoral component
was found in 24 per cent of the hips, atributable more often to the quality
of cement fixation than to the position of the components (varus-valgus).
Varus loosening of two millimeters or more was associated with lower
evaluation scores.