Study Design. Retrospective clinical and radiographic review of patients after Bernese periacetabular osteotomy for symptomatic congenital hip dysplasia. Introduction. The Bernese periacetabular osteotomy for the treatment of symptomatic congenital hip dysplasia is known to be a complex operative procedure. Several authors reported significant percentages of peri- and postoperative complications.

Objective.The aim of our study was to reveal whether the incidence as well as the grade of complications affect the postoperative outcome which was determined by the short form (SF) 36 and the Western Ontario McMasters osteoarthritis (WOMAC) questionnaires.

Methods. A consecutive series of 50 patients with 60 hips operated between 1988 and 2000 were investigated retrospectively with a mean follow up period of 32 months.

Results. With an incidence of 30% a lesion of the lateral cutaneus nerve occurred. In 10% a peroneal nerve palsy was diagnosed immediate postoperatively, with 4% persistent neurological deficit presented at one year follow up. Several other minor and major complications occurred with an overall complication rate of 68%. According to the severity of complications two groups of patients were identified. Statistical analysis did not reveal any difference between the results of the SF-36 (p=0.2) and WOMAC (p=0.09) questionnaires. Radiological analysis revealed a deterioration of osteoarthritis in 32% of our patients. These patients predominantly judged their postoperative results poor to fair (r=0.71). 76% rated the operation as successful and 64% would have surgery again. The subjective estimation of patients health status postoperatively was significantly reduced compared to an age matched healthy reference group (p=0.0001).

Conclusion. Despite the high incidence of complications 76% of the patients rated the operation as successful. 32% of the patients faced a deterioration of osteoarthritis. The postoperative results after Bernese periacetabular osteotomy are rather more influenced by the progression of osteoarthritis than by the occurrence of perioperative complications.

We carried out 71 primary total hip arthroplasties using porous-coated, hemispherical press-fit Duraloc ‘100 Series’ cups in 68 consecutive patients; 61 were combined with the cementless Spotorno stem and ten with the cemented Lubinus SP II stem. Under-reaming of 2 mm achieved a press-fit. Of the 71 hips, 69 (97.1%) were followed up after a mean of 2.4 years. Migration analysis was performed by the Ein Bild Röntgen Analyse method, with an accuracy of 1 mm.

The mean total migration after 24 months was 1.13 mm. Using the definition of loosening as a total migration of 1 mm, it follows that 30 out of 63 cups (48%) were loose at 24 months.

We performed revision surgery for infected arthroplasty in 98 hips (96 patients). In 28 hips infection persisted. Of the remaining 70 hips, 61 (87%) were reviewed after a mean interval of 5.9 years (1 to 17). Infection occurred in 10% of these after three years and in 26% after ten years. The infection rate after initially successful revision for septic arthroplasty is higher than after revision for aseptic loosening and the risk of developing infection continues for many years.