Comorbidities and indications for total hip arthroplasty at a tertiary care center in Saudi Arabia

Objectives: Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is one of the most effective orthopedic interventions for the treatment of patients with advanced‑ stage hip disease. However, reports regarding indications for primary THA in Saudi Arabia are limited. We aimed to evaluate primary indications for THA and identify associated chronic diseases and postoperative complications in THA patients at a tertiary hospital in Saudi Arabia. These are important to provide knowledge on types of hip diseases and variables that may affect the outcome of this intervention in the Saudi population. Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study of THA cases performed between 2010 and 2019 at a tertiary center in Saudi Arabia. Retrieved data include patients’ ages at the time of surgery, chronic diseases, presurgical diagnosis, site and duration of surgery, and postoperative complications. Results: We identified 83 patients who had undergone primary THA; in regard to comorbidities, 32.5% and 30.1% had hypertension and diabetes mellitus, respectively. The most common indication for THA was degenerative hip osteoarthritis (50.6%), followed by post-traumatic arthritis (22.9%) and hip avascular necrosis (20.5%). Conclusion: Despite the high rate of trauma and accidents in Saudi Arabia, degenerative osteoarthritis remains the most common indication for primary THA. Post-traumatic osteoarthritis is identified as the second major indication for THA.