Rearthroplasty of the hip joint.

Forty patients were reviewed 24 to 52 months after their second, third and fourth arthroplasty of the same hip. The protocol assessed pain, range of motion, leg shortening, gait performance, radiological appearance of the endoprosthesis and included the patient's own evaluation. Results of rearthroplasty were inferior to those of primary procedure, but still good enough, both in the surgeon's and the patient's opinion, to be the method of choice for revision of a failed total hip replacement.