The aim of this study was to evaluate the results of total hip arthropiasty in osteoarthritis secondary to congenital hip disease.

During the period 1986 to 1999, we performed 48 hip replacements with congenital hip disease. According to classification of Chanophylakidis there were 18 dysplastic hips without dislocation, 17 hips with low dislocation and 12 hips with high dislocation The mean age of the patients was 49 years (range from 31 to 64) Depended on the pathology of each case, different types of prostheses or combinations of them were used. The acetabular cup was placed in the anatomic position and in the majority of cases a component of 22 aim was used. In 28 cases the bottom of the acetabulum was fractured and protruded in order to fit the cup (acetabuloplasty). In these cases copious amounts of auto- and aiiografts were used and the cup was fixed with PMMA, Special femoral stems for CDH were used and in the majority of cases they were fixed with PMMA. In 17 cases with good acetabular bone stock and good femoral canal a standard prosthesis was used without PMMA. In 31 cases the hip was approached after osteotomy of the grater trochader and in 17 cases an anterolateral approach was used.

Intra-operatively there were many problems and difficulties but we had no true complications. Early postoperative complications presented in eight patients and had to do with 2 haematomas, 3 DVT, 1 mild PE and 2 superficial infections. There was no case of deep infection, neurovascular damage, dislocation or fracture. The late results after a mean of 6, £ years were very satisfaaory. There was improvement of the HIP SCORE from 38 to 83 and subjective satisfaction of nearly all the patients. The late complications were limited and they concerned three migrations of the acetabular cup, one aseptic loosening of the femora) stem and one extensive osteoiysis the proximal femur. All the above cases were revised successfully.