Abstract
The results of hip injections for 63 patients with hip pain are presented. Injection of 80mg of methylprednisolone and bupivacaine by an anterior approach was performed with x-ray screening. Patients were noted as having either a normal x-ray (10), mild osteoarthritis (21), moderate osteoarthritis (13) and severe osteoarthritis (19), those in the severe group were generally unfit for hip surgery. Outcome was judged by an Oxford hip score, which was calculated pre-injection, at one month, and at three months. At three months all with a normal x-ray were improved, 19 with mild changes were improved 2 deteriorated, 9 with moderate changes improved, 2 stayed the same, 2 deteriorated and 13 with severe changes were improved, 4 deteriorated and 2 were unchanged. Improvements were with pain scores not function. Of those improved all thought the procedure worthwhile. Two patients described numbness and weakness at the anterior thigh area, which recovered quickly. We feel that this is a useful technique to give symptomatic relief in-patients not suitable for hip replacement.
The abstracts were prepared by Wing Commander T. P. S. Bhullar. Correspondence should be addressed to him at the Ministry of Defence Hospital Unit, Edith Cavell Hospital, Bretton Gate, Peterborough PE3 9GZ.
