The use of a tripolar articulation in revision total hip arthroplasty: a minimum of 24 months' follow-up.

A retrospective cohort study of 31 hips revised with a tripolar articular construct was performed. Patient demographics and preoperative and postoperative information were recorded. Indications for a tripolar construct were recurrent dislocation and the inability to attain intraoperative stability during hip revision. Nine patients (29%) were revised to the tripolar construct after failure of a constrained liner. Twenty patients (65%) had at least one episode of instability before the most recent revision. At a mean follow-up of 38 months, modified Postel scores improved from a mean of 5.28 to 9.64 (P < .01). Radiographic follow-up revealed no evidence of component loosening/migration, osteolysis, or polyethylene wear. Two patients (7%) required further revision surgery for recurrent instability. A tripolar construct was effective in eliminating or preventing instability in 93% of the complex cases treated. These early results support the use of a tripolar construct in treating recurrent instability or instability encountered at the time of revision hip arthroplasty.