Outcomes and Management of Dislocated Hip Hemiarthroplasty

Purpose and aims Hip hemiarthroplasty (HHA) is a common procedure undertaken to manage intracapsular neck of femur fractures. Dislocation of HHA is one of the most dreadful complications. There is a paucity of clinical evidence to guide decision-making for managing these patients. The aim of this study was to describe the operative management and outcomes of patients with dislocated hemiarthroplasties of the hip and outline a treatment strategy for their management. Methods We conducted a retrospective analysis of all the patients presenting to University Hospitals of Derby and Burton, UK with hip fractures between 2016-2022. We included all the patients who underwent a hemiarthroplasty for their fracture. We excluded patients who had malignancy and if clinical data was missing. Each operative intervention and subsequent dislocations were recorded. We recorded the following outcome measures: dislocation, surgical interventions, mortality, revision surgery, cognition status, residential status, and mobility. We also compare these outcomes with the patients who had HHA and did not sustain any dislocation. Results Of the 1134 patients treated with HHA during this period, 33 patients sustained dislocation. Of the 33 patients, 29 were female and 4 were male with mean ages of 87.4±7.4 and 89.25 ± 9.54,​ respectively. Following the first dislocation, 25 patients were treated with closed reduction, six patients had excision arthroplasty (EA), and two patients were treated non-operatively. About 21 patients went on to have second and third dislocations, none of these had EA and others had conversion to total hip replacement (THR). Nearly 80% of dislocations occurred within two months of the initial procedure. The mean mental test score was 7.91±2.01 (p=0.001) and was significantly higher in patients who underwent conversion to THR. The average ASA grade was significantly higher in patients who had closed reduction (2.93±0.25, p=0.001) and EA (3.28±0.46, p=0.002) compared to the patients who had no dislocation. Patients who underwent EA had significantly higher acute length of hospital stay 23.5±13.5 (p=0.02) and mortality (p=0.001) compared to other groups. We found no significant difference in dislocation rates where the initial procedure was carried out by registrars or consultants (p=0.567). Conclusion We concluded that the dislocation risk is higher in females and within the first two months of the index procedure. More than 80% of patients had a second dislocation following a successful closed reduction. In our cohort, 45% of patients had EA (Girdlestone procedure) and 36% had a conversion to THR. EA was associated with increased mortality rates, acute length of hospital stays, and significant change to premorbid mobility status. A multidisciplinary team (MDT) approach is necessary following the second dislocation to prevent further morbidity associated with recurrent dislocations.