A comparison of modern periacetabular osteotomy for hip dysplasia with total hip arthroplasty for osteoarthritis

In this study, published recently in the British journal The Bone and Joint Journal, patient-reported outcomes and complications associated with modern periacetabular osteotomy for the treatment of symptomatic hip dysplasia are reported, and these results are compared with total hip arthroplasty in patients with similar demographic characteristics.
The authors used two consecutive cohorts comprising patients aged 18-40 years who underwent either periacetabular osteotomy or total hip arthroplasty. The patients were followed up for a mean period of 5.9 years and a significant improvement was seen in the Modified Harris Hip Score with regard to pain, to function and to the overall score. There were no statistically significant differences in the clinical outcome between the two groups. The complication rates were low and similar in both groups of patients.
The authors concluded that, as with total hip arthroplasty, the modern operation of periacetabular osteotomy is a clinically effective technique that improves patients' levels of activity and function, provides relief from pain and is associated with an acceptable complication rate.