Contributor: Jared Scott, MD
Educational Pearls:
- While it is rare to have a native hip dislocation, it is relatively common to dislocate a prosthetic hip
- The mechanism for dislocation is usually adduction, flexion, and internal rotation the hip which can occur when walking
- Arthroplasty in the setting of trauma or fracture, posterior approach during surgery, and using a small femoral head increase the likelihood of later dislocation
- If a patient with a total hip arthroplasty says they were walking and then developed hip pain, do not discount a potential dislocation
References
Zahar A, Rastogi A, Kendoff D. Dislocation after total hip arthroplasty. Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med. 2013;6(4):350-356. doi:10.1007/s12178-013-9187-6
Summarized by John Spartz, MS3 | Edited by Erik Verzemnieks, MD