Laceration of the Sciatic Nerve After Closed Reduction of a Dislocated Total Hip Arthroplasty

Abstract

Sciatic nerve injury after closed reduction of a dislocated total hip arthroplasty (THA) is an exceedingly rare but tremendously devastating complication. Closed reduction is the standard of care and is typically associated with a low complication rate. There have only been seven sciatic nerve injuries after closed reduction of a dislocated THA reported in the literature, and none were secondary to nerve laceration. We report a case of sciatic nerve laceration after attempted closed reduction of a dislocated THA. This resulted in complete loss of sensory and motor sciatic nerve function. This case highlights the importance of a detailed neurologic examination before and after closed reduction of a dislocated total hip, the importance of using careful reduction maneuvers, and transitioning to open reduction when necessary.