Leg Length Discrepancy

Leg length discrepancy refers to the difference between the lengths of the left and right lower limbs. The residual leg length difference after total hip arthroplasty (THA) significantly affects not only the clinical outcomes, such as hip instability, pain in the contralateral hip or adjacent joints, back pain, gait function, neurological deficits, and long-term outcomes of the implant, but also patient satisfaction with the surgery. Therefore, residual postoperative leg length difference is one of the major causes of medical litigation after THA in Europe and the United States [1].