COMPARISON OF POSTOPERATIVE QUALITY OF LIFE AND UTILITY VALUES FOLLOWING TOTAL HIP ARTHROPLASTY AND BIPOLAR HEMIARTHROPLASTY FOR OSTEONECROSIS OF THE FEMORAL HEAD

Abstract

Purpose: The appropriate surgical procedure for Stage 3 osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) remains controversial. This study aimed to evaluate and compare postoperative quality of life (QOL) in patients who underwent total hip arthroplasty (THA) and bipolar hemiarthroplasty (BHA) for ONFH based on comprehensive and disease-specific scales using patient-directed questionnaires. Methods: We included 54 of 66 patients who underwent artificial joint replacement for ONFH more than 1 year ago at our hospital between April 2013 and September 2020. THA was performed for ONFH Stage 4 and BHA for Stage 3 or below. The mean postoperative observation period in the THA and BHA groups was 3.9 and 3.7 years, respectively. The Short-Form 6-Dimension measure was used to calculate utility values. Results: No significant differences in questionnaire results regarding disease-specific or comprehensive measures were observed after arthroplasty for ONFH between the THA and BHA groups. The utility values were 0.60 and 0.58 in the THA and BHA groups, respectively. Conclusion: The postoperative QOL was similar between patients who underwent THA for Stage 4 ONFH and BHA for Stage 3 ONFH. Therefore, THA or BHA can be performed on patients with ONFH after considering age, stage classification, and previous medical conditions.