Greater trochanteric pain after total hip arthroplasty: the incidence, clinical outcome and associated factors

We evaluated any residual pain around the hip joint 11 to 23 months post-surgery in 172 consecutive patients who underwent total hip arthroplasty (THA) for primary or secondary osteoarthritis during 2002 at Sundsvall Hospital, Sweden. Patients with suspected greater trochanteric pain (GTP) were matched with controls from the same cohort. The two groups were assessed with the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthrosis Index (WOMAC) and were examined for localised tenderness over the trochanteric area by algometer. The pre- and postoperative radiographs including femoral offset were evaluated. We found that 21 patients (12%) had GTP with a male to female ratio of 1:6. The WOMAC index revealed a reduction in the clinical outcome in this group. An associated factor of significance was postoperative uncorrected lengthening of the operated limb equal to or more than one centimetre. We found no correlation between the prevalence of GTP and body weight or length, femoral offset or size of the prosthetic components used.