title: Prevalence and functional impact of patient-perceived leg length discrepancy after hip replacement.
abstract: The aim of this postal survey was to determine the prevalence and impact of patient-perceived leg length discrepancy (LLD) at 5-8 years after primary total hip replacement (THR). A postal audit survey was undertaken of all consecutive patients who had a primary unilateral THR at one elective orthopaedic centre between April 1993 and April 1996. The questionnaire included the Oxford hip score (OHS) and questions about LLD. Questionnaires were received from 1,114 patients. In total, 329 THR patients (30%) reported an LLD, although radiographic analysis revealed that only 36% of these patients had anatomical LLD. Patients with a perceived LLD had a significantly poorer OHS (p < 0.001) and reported more limping than those patients without a perceived LLD. This study found that a third of patients perceived an LLD after THR and that perceived LLD was associated with a significantly poorer midterm functional outcome.
authors.affiliation: Bristol Implant Research Centre, Southmead Hospital, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS10 5NB, UK. V.Wylde@bristol.ac.uk
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Wylde
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Whitehouse
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: G T
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Pattison
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Bannister
authors.forename: A W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Blom
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D019644:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007870:Leg Length Inequality / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012649:Self Concept; D016896:Treatment Outcome