Hip arthroplasties in Gaucher's disease.

In six patients with Gaucher's disease, arthroplasties were performed on ten hips for avascular necrosis of the femoral head. The follow-up ranged from two to twelve years. There were three Vitallium mold (cup) arthroplasties, seven primary total hip-replacement arthroplasties, and two revisions of total hip-replacement arthroplasties. Increased intraoperative and postoperative bleeding was often encountered. The cup arthroplasties yielded good results on long-term follow-up, but there was a high rate of loosening of the prosthetic components in the total hip replacements. There was one postoperative pathological fracture but there were no infections.