[Irradiation for the prevention of heterotopic ossification following surgery of the hip and knee joint. Report of initial experiences].

Ectopic bone formation following operations of the hip is a severe problem in traumatology and orthopedic surgery by reason of its high morbidity. After initial enthusiasm the treatment of these ossifications by EHDP has disappointed. Encouraged by further publications we began with postoperative local irradiation therapy in 22 patients with a disposition for heterotopic ossifications. The radiotherapy was made with a total dose of 12 Gy spread over 3 days. The range of improvement in the recurrences of para-articular ossifications was between 1.2 and 2 CA. The only side effects, we could detect, were 2 pseudarthroses of the trochanter major.