Resurfacing Matched to Standard Total Hip Arthroplasty by Preoperative Activity Levels: A Comparison of Postoperative Outcomes (Clinical Report‪)‬

Metal-on-metal hip resurfacing has grown in popularity in recent years as a bone-preserving alternative to conventional total hip arthroplasty (THA) for the treatment of degenerative changes of the hip, especially in younger adults. The outcomes with this procedure may improve as more surgeons move beyond their learning curve with the technique, and the orthopaedic community refines its understanding of the indications.1-4 Recently, multiple studies have reported that resurfacing and conventional THA patients have similar satisfaction and clinical outcomes at short- to midterm follow-up. (5-8) Some studies have noted that patients treated with hip resurfacing generally have a high postoperative activity level, (9,10) with a few noting it to be superior compared to their THA counterparts. (5,8,11) However, controversy remains whether this finding is a reflection of higher preoperative activity levels in patients who elect to be treated with hip resurfacing, or whether it suggests a true benefit. Although previous studies have examined directly-matched cohorts, few of these studies, if any, have matched patients specifically based on preoperative activity levels while ensuring similar preoperative hip scores and follow-up times.