Perioperative morbidity and mortality after reconstruction for metastatic tumors of the proximal femur and acetabulum.

An observational cohort study was performed on 90 hip arthroplasties performed in 84 patients for metastatic disease of the hip. Significant improvement was noted with both 3-month and 6-month function scores vs preoperative function scores (P < .001). Complications included 1 intraoperative femur fracture, 2 cases of deep venous thrombosis, 1 peroneal nerve palsy, 1 deep infection, and 5 dislocations. Eight (8.8% of 90 procedures, 9.4% of 84 patients) patients died during the initial hospital stay. Although the risk of mortality after hip arthroplasty for metastatic diseases is perhaps higher than previously expected, improvement in postoperative function scores in surviving patients was significant and perioperative morbidity in this complex patient population was acceptably low.