The use of the cystoscope in revision hip arthroplasty

Good distal visualization is an important factor to the success of any revision operation, particularly in the presence of infection, osteolytic defects, and long-stemmed implants. There are 2 main problems: i) the need for a powerful light source that does not itself impair the view and ii) actual vision while operating down the canal. In the past, surgeons tried headlights, hand-held microlights, and windowing the distal femur in an effort to improve the view. None of these techniques solved the problem. We believe that poor visualization can be overcome by the use of a standard cystoscope.