Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41598501›Full record

ReviewJournal of clinical medicine2026

A Nerve Injury After Total Hip Arthroplasty from Etiology to Treatment: A Narrative Review.

Alberto Di Martino, Matteo Brunello, Isabella Giannini, Manuele Morandi Guaitoli, Chiara Di Censo, Federico Pilla, Cesare Faldini

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Journal of clinical medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Alberto Di MartinoI Orthopedic and Traumatology Department, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, 40136 Bologna, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-0716-4951
Matteo BrunelloI Orthopedic and Traumatology Department, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, 40136 Bologna, Italy.ORCID 0000-0001-9376-5480
Isabella GianniniI Orthopedic and Traumatology Department, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, 40136 Bologna, Italy.
Manuele Morandi GuaitoliI Orthopedic and Traumatology Department, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, 40136 Bologna, Italy.ORCID 0009-0006-4264-2564
Chiara Di CensoI Orthopedic and Traumatology Department, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, 40136 Bologna, Italy.ORCID 0009-0004-7708-4166
Federico PillaI Orthopedic and Traumatology Department, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, 40136 Bologna, Italy.
Cesare FaldiniI Orthopedic and Traumatology Department, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, 40136 Bologna, Italy.ORCID 0000-0001-8152-4778

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is a widely performed procedure that significantly enhances patients' quality of life. However, nerve injury remains a concerning complication, with an incidence ranging from 0.6% to 3.7%, depending on patient and surgical variables. This narrative review provides a comprehensive overview of nerve injuries associated with THA, focusing on etiology, risk factors, clinical manifestations, prevention, and treatment strategies. The most affected nerves include the sciatic, femoral, lateral femoral cutaneous (LFCN), superior gluteal, and obturator nerves. Anatomical factors such as developmental hip dysplasia (DDH), limb length discrepancy, and aberrant nerve courses, along with patient-specific conditions like female sex, obesity, and pre-existing spinal disorders, increase the risk of nerve damage. Surgical complexity, revision procedures, and surgeon experience also influence injury likelihood. Clinical manifestations range from sensory disturbances to motor deficits including foot drop, Trendelenburg gait, or impaired knee extension, depending on the nerve involved. Diagnosis is primarily clinical, supported by electrophysiological studies and imaging when needed. Prevention hinges on careful preoperative planning, appropriate surgical approach selection, meticulous intraoperative technique, and attention to limb positioning. Treatment is typically conservative, involving pain control, physical therapy, and neurostimulation. In refractory or severe cases, interventions such as nerve decompression, repair, or tendon transfer may be considered. Pharmacological agents including vitamin B12, tacrolimus, and melatonin show potential in promoting nerve regeneration. Although most nerve injuries resolve spontaneously or with conservative measures, some cases may result in long-term deficits. Understanding the mechanisms, risk factors, and management strategies is essential to mitigating complications and optimizing functional outcomes in patients undergoing THA.

Indexed as

bikinifemoral nervenerve injurysciatic nervesurgical approachtotal hip arthroplasty

Identifiers

PMID41598501
PMCPMC12842044

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.