Surgical intervention should be considered for sciatic nerve palsy following total hip arthroplasty using a posterolateral approach

Abstract

Purpose

This single-center study aimed to determine whether surgical neurolysis influences muscle power recovery in sciatic nerve palsy following total hip arthroplasty (THA).

Methods

Among 1912 THAs performed between 2007 and 2019, a total of 1575 THAs using a posterolateral approach (primary THA, 1483 cases; revision THA, 92 cases) were retrospectively reviewed. Subjects who showed sciatic nerve palsy with motor disturbance were extracted. Demographic data, muscle power, and sensory disturbance at the onset of palsy and at final follow-up were examined. Subjects were divided into two groups (conservative treatment group and surgical treatment group) and clinical outcomes were compared between the two groups. Positive recovery was defined as muscle power greater than Manual Muscle Test grade 3.

Results

Thirteen cases (0.8%), including eight in the conservative treatment group and five in the surgical treatment group, showed post-operative sciatic nerve palsy. Four cases (80.0%) in the surgical treatment group achieved full muscle power recovery. All three subjects who received surgical treatment on the day of onset of palsy achieved full muscle power and sensory recovery. More patients recovered muscle power in the surgical treatment group than in the conservative treatment group.

Conclusion

Muscle power recovery was found in 80.0% of cases in the surgical treatment group and 12.5% of the conservative treatment group. All cases that received surgical intervention on the onset day of palsy achieved full muscle power and sensory recovery, whereas no cases achieved full muscle power recovery in the conservative treatment group. Immediate surgical intervention should be considered for sciatic nerve palsy following THA using a posterolateral approach.