Frequency, Developing Time, Intensity, Duration, and Functional Score of Thigh Pain After Cementless Total Hip Arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: Although thigh pain is an annoying problem after total hip arthroplasty (THA), little information has been known about its natural course.

METHODS: To determine the frequency, time of onset, and duration of thigh pain after cementless THA, we evaluated 240 patients (240 hips) who underwent primary THA because of femoral head osteonecrosis with the use of a single tapered stem.

RESULTS: Twenty-seven patients (11.3%) experienced thigh pain during the follow-up of 3-11 years (mean, 84 months). The pain developed 2-78 months (median, 25 months) after THA. The 75% of pain developed within 36 months. In 25 patients, the pain disappeared postoperatively 1 month-64 months (mean, 17.4 months), and 2 patients (7.4%, 2/27) had persistent thigh pain. There were no differences in the latest Harris Hip Score between the thigh pain group and no thigh pain group.

CONCLUSION: Our results provided basic information about the natural history of thigh pain after cementless THA with a tapered stem design.