Prosthetic replacement in secondary Girdlestone arthroplasty has an unpredictable outcome

The functional outcome of hip replacement following a Girdlestone arthroplasty may be difficult to predict. We reviewed 39 hips in 39 patients with a minimum follow-up of 12 (range 12–208) months from re-implantation total hip arthroplasty. The patients were treated in one institution between 1983 and 2000, and their mean age at conversion was 65 (32–85) years. The main indication for the Girdlestone arthroplasty was peri-prosthetic infection. A post-operative complication occurred in 26 cases and in 17, surgical revisions were performed. The average Harris hip score (HHS) following conversion was 62 (24–93), and only three hips were graded as very good whereas 23 were graded as poor. Microbiological culture, patient age, duration of Girdlestone arthroplasty and the number of preceding surgical procedures did not correlate with the functional outcome after conversion.