Primary total hip replacement in childhood, adolescence and young patients: quality and outcome of clinical studies.
OBJECTIVE
The present meta-analysis illustrates relevant information about hip replacement in young patients that has been published during the past 3 decades.


METHODS
Based on a MedLine literature review a total of 95 studies were evaluated. Parameters for evaluation of study quality and outcome were implant survival rates (ISR),number of patients, indications, follow-up, surgical approaches and number of surgeons.


RESULTS
Most studies consider patient numbers <50. In 33 studies one implant system was applied compared to 65 studies in which more than one system was used. Most studies include different surgical approaches. 20% of all studies contained neither the number of surgeons,nor the type of surgical approach. The overall ISR could be evaluated in 67 studies. Sufficient data about the ISR of stem and/or sockets were available in 50 papers.


CONCLUSIONS
Most published studies analyzed inhomogeneous study populations; study variables vary as do the implants used for treatment.
Jäger
M
M
Department of Orthopaedics, Heinrich-Heine University Medical School, Düsseldorf, Germany. Jaeger@med.uni-duesseldorf.de
Begg
M J W
MJ
Ready
J
J
Bittersohl
B
B
Millis
M
M
Krauspe
R
R
Thornhill
T S
TS
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001168:Arthritis / Q000601:surgery*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000601:surgery; D019644:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000592:standards*; D006618:Hip Dislocation, Congenital / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D013167:Spondylitis, Ankylosing / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome