Nerve lesions after total hip replacement.

In a prospective study 50 extremities in 46 patients with total hip replacement (THR) were examined clinically and with EMG preoperatively and 4 weeks postoperatively. Four patients with normal preoperative findings had electromyographical evidence of nerve lesions postoperatively and three of these had clinical symptoms; one patient had no clinical symptoms. Ten patients with normal pre- and postoperative findings were re-examined 1 year after the operation and still found to be normal. In 150 records of patients with THR reviewed retrospectively, only one doubtful case of nerve lesions was found.