[Arthrodesis of the hip].

The author has analysed the results in 14 patients who had a hip arthrodesis carried out 18 years ago. It may be concluded that the vast majority of these patients have generally been satisfied with their condition during this period and that they are capable of performing their physical activities. Most of these patients showed certain changes in the surrounding bonejoint structures, while no lesions of the opposite hip were found. Therefore, the hip arthrodesis merits to be a choice for a correct treatment as long as the other hip is healthy, and the lumbar spine and knee, of the same side, are with no changes. Otherwise, there is no safe surgical method which can provide satisfactory conditions to the patients, implying, no pain in the crippled hip, the ability to be upright for a long period of the day, and the viability for their everyday physical activities.