To examine the effects of the stem alignment on the clinical and radiographic results of a tapered wedge femoral prosthesis.

Ninety-one consecutive primary total hip arthroplasties were performed with an implantation of a CLS cementless femoral prosthesis between 1995 and 1998. Among them, 75 hips were retrospectively examined after a minimum duration of five years. The hips were divided into three groups based on the stem alignment; neutral stem alignment in 50 hips (67%), valgus in 15 hips (20%), and varus in 10 hips (13%). The clinical and radiographic results of the three groups were compared.

There were no differences in the Harris hip scores and the incidence of thigh pain between the groups. Radiographic analysis revealed no difference in the fixation status at the latest follow up, nor was there any difference in the level of endosteal bone formation, the incidence of radiolucent lines, stressshielding, or osteolytic lesions. No loosening of the femoral stems was observed in any of the cases.

Stem alignment of a tapered CLS femoral component does not compromise the clinical and radiographic results after a minimum follow-up of five years.