3M Capital hip arthroplasty: 3-8-year follow-up of 208 primary hip replacements.

We reviewed 267 Capital hip replacements. Patients were recalled in 1998 after reports of failure of this prosthesis. 208 hips (200 patients) were followed-up (average 6 years). 9 hips (4%) had been revised for aseptic loosening and 10 stems (5%) were radiographically loose. Males and both varus and valgus stems showed a higher incidence of loosening. The failure rate, however, was considerably lower than the published figures. The reason for this is not clear, but obviously design is not the only factor contributing to loosening. Therefore, a continuous routine registration of clinical data and relevant outcome parameters on a large scale seems desirable.