Adult presentation of severe sequelae of Tom Smith arthritis treated with bilateral total hip arthroplasty: A case report

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE: Tom Smith arthritis (TSA) is a pyogenic arthritis of the hip joint that occurs in infancy and has considerable morbidity. Reports on surgical management of severe hip dysplasia in adulthood secondary to TSA are extremely limited. We describe a patient who successfully underwent a bilateral total hip arthroplasty for the severely damaged hip joints secondary to TSA with satisfactory functional outcomes. CASE PRESENTATION: A 25-year-old female was unable to walk for more than 10 ft due to pain in both hips and knees predominantly on the left side. She developed pyogenic septic arthritis with sepsis at 6 weeks of age and underwent multiple surgical procedures to drain the infection and for reconstruction. She had limited range of motion and was severely disabled. She underwent an uneventful left total hip arthroplasty and two years later, a right total hip arthroplasty using S-ROM modular hip systems. The pre and post-operative Harris Hips scores were 53.4 (left), 46 (right) and 95.7 (left), 89.65 (right), respectively. CLINICAL DISCUSSION: Detailed preoperative evaluation of the anatomy was paramount. Assessment of the limb-length discrepancy by means of scanogram, templating the anatomy with computed tomography and planning the anatomical location of the centre of the relocated hip were mandatory. CONCLUSION: Bilateral total hip arthroplasty is a feasible option to manage the rare occurrence of severely damaged bilateral hip joints caused by TSA presenting in adulthood. Reconstructive options for late sequelae should be individualized based on the degree of involvement, hip stability, and patient expectations.