Increasing incidence of femoral osteolysis in association with uncemented Harris-Galante total hip arthroplasty. A follow-up report.

Sixty-nine consecutive uncemented total hip arthroplasties were performed in 59 patients using the Harris-Galante prosthesis (Zimmer, Warsaw, IN). The patients were reviewed an average of 44 and 71 months after surgery. Patients in whom femoral osteolysis was identified at the time of the first review were again evaluated at the second review to determine if the size of the osteolytic lesion had increased over time. At the initial review an average of 44 months postsurgery, the overall incidence of femoral osteolysis was 22%. At the second review, the incidence of femoral osteolysis had increased from 22 to 52%. Two thirds of the lytic lesions diagnosed at the time of the first review had increased in size. This study demonstrated that the incidence of femoral osteolysis in cementless hip arthroplasties increases with time and that the majority of existing lesions enlarge over time. Once lesions are identified, more frequent follow-up evaluations are recommended. Revision surgery may be required for progressive femoral osteolysis, despite the absence of significant clinical symptoms.