Cognition in Postoperative Total Hip Arthroplasty and Total Hip Resurfacing Patients

Transient cognitive changes after surgery may be due to many different factors. It is
estimated that between 5-29% of patients undergoing orthopedic surgery experience a
transient decline in their cognition. Fat and bone marrow debris embolization can cause
cognitive changes if they enter the cerebral circulation in significant numbers. During
total hip arthroplasty the placement of the femoral stem leads to a rise in intramedullary
pressure which can cause fat and bone marrow debris to embolize into the systemic
circulation. Total hip resurfacing arthroplasty avoids entrance into the femoral canal.
The purpose of this study is to assess transient cognitive changes after total hip
arthroplasty and compare them to patients undergoing total hip resurfacing arthroplasty. We
hypothesize that patients undergoing total hip resurfacing arthroplasty will experience less
transient cognitive changes due to the avoidance of violating the femoral canal during the
procedure.