Bilateral Total Hip Arthroplasty has Similar Complication Rates to Unilateral Total Hip Arthroplasty

Simultaneous bilateral THA has several advantages over staged THA, however its safety has not been well examined. This study reports a statewide 15-year experience of simultaneous bilateral THA and compares its complications to those of unilateral THA. Logistic regression was used to determine the role of bilateral surgery as a predictor of complications while correcting for patient comorbidities. Of 202,986 patients, 1.1% underwent bilateral THA. Bilateral THA was more commonly performed in males, younger patients, those with private insurance, and at higher volume hospitals. There was no difference in 30-day readmissions or revision surgeries. There was a higher rate of sepsis in the bilateral group but no difference in other complications. This study demonstrates that THA is a safe option in appropriately selected patients.