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Nerve Injury After Total Hip Arthroplasty

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Peripheral Nerve Issues after Orthopedic Surgery

Abstract

The incidence of nerve injury ranges from 0.17% to 3.7% during primary hip arthroplasty and is reported to be as high as 7.5% in revision surgery. It is an often serious complication arising from this frequently performed surgical procedure. There is a wide range of severity of nerve injury, with more severe injuries having a notable impact on the patient’s overall functional outcome. In describing the pathophysiology and risk factors for nerve injury during total hip arthroplasty, the authors will delineate preventative measures and appropriate steps for referral and subsequent management.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Joint Replacement Unit, Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore, UK

    Steve Key & John Skinner

  2. Peripheral Nerve Injury Unit, Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore, UK

    Tom Quick

  3. Centre for Nerve Engineering, University College London, London, UK

    Tom Quick

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  1. Steve Key
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  2. John Skinner
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  3. Tom Quick
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Correspondence to Tom Quick .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA

    Christopher J. Dy

  2. Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA

    David M. Brogan

  3. Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA

    Eric R. Wagner

1 Electronic Supplementary Material

Cadaveric dissection showing stretch occurring on the sciatic nerve with limb positioning during a posterior approach to the hip. Note the effect of knee extension, particularly with the hip flexed. (MP4 6036 kb)

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Key, S., Skinner, J., Quick, T. (2022). Nerve Injury After Total Hip Arthroplasty. In: Dy, C.J., Brogan, D.M., Wagner, E.R. (eds) Peripheral Nerve Issues after Orthopedic Surgery. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-84428-8_11

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