A small number of patients develop thigh pain after a total hip replacement (THR). Doctors at the University of Miami School of Medicine did this study to find out how thigh pain affects their quality of life (QOL) and activity level.
Two groups of patients were compared. One group had thigh pain after THR; the other group did not. All patients had a cementless THR with the same implant. X-rays were used to check the alignment and fit. Everyone filled out two surveys to measure pain level, QOL, and activity.
The results of this study show that QOL is not affected severely after surgery in patients with thigh pain after THR. Their functional activities are impacted by pain.
Other studies have shown that patients who had thigh pain after the operation often had poor function before surgery. The authors suggest that patient who wait too long to have a THR deteriorate too far and can't recuperate as fast as other patients.
Reference:
Carlos Lavernia, MD, et al. Patient-Perceived Outcomes in Thigh Pain After Primary Arthroplasty of the Hip. In Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research. December 2005. No. 441. Pp. 268-273.'
