Hip dislocation: Extra stability test in hip replacement

A hip replacement dislocation is a rare complication, occurs when the ball of the prosthetic joint comes out of the socket. Dislocation is common within the first three months after surgery, but can also happen later due to falls, trauma, or failing to follow post-operative precautions. To significantly reduce the risk of hip replacement dislocation, it is very important to perform forced stability tests at the end of the surgical procedure to test for extreme and sudden movements.

Test 1: maximum hip flexion

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Test 2: Forced external rotation at 30° of hip extension

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Test 3: internal rotation in 90° of hip flexion

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Clearly, there is no garantee that prostesis dislocation will not occur, but given the ever-inctresing demands of people undergoing hip replacement surgery, higher stress test are recommended.

I belive that to achieve this goal it is necessary to perform the surgery throught the anterior approach, carry out accurate preoperative planning and perform an intraoperative computer assisted check of the length of the limb, centre of rotation, restoration of the offset and the combined anteversion.

Andrea Blasi MD - Anterior Hip Replacement Expert

Imageless vs Image-Based Computer Navigation in Total Hip Arthroplasty: An Intracase Comparison Shows Variability Between Technologies - Arthroplasty Today Volume 33, June 2025, 101707

Evaluation of Fluoroscopic and Imageless Navigation Systems for Acetabular Component Positioning in Direct Anterior Approach - Total Hip Arthroplasty - The Journal of Arthroplasty xxx (2025) 1—7

Anatomy and prosthesis of the hip - G.I.O.T. 2003;29:67-73

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