Which is a common indication for primary hip arthroplasty?

• A. Infection around implant
• B. Aseptic loosening
• C. Severe osteoarthritis
• D. Periprosthetic fracture

Answer: (C)

Severe osteoarthritis is the most common reason to perform a primary total hip arthroplasty. In advanced OA the cartilage wears away, causing bone-on-bone pain, stiffness, and significant functional limitation. When nonoperative treatments (like medications, physical therapy, injections, and lifestyle changes) no longer control pain or restore function, replacing the damaged joint surfaces with a prosthesis often provides durable pain relief and improved mobility.

The other scenarios describe problems that arise after a hip replacement or around it, not the initial reason to undergo a first-time hip arthroplasty: infection around an implant is a complication requiring medical/surgical management; aseptic loosening is a failure of the implant that occurs over time; and a periprosthetic fracture happens around an existing implant and typically leads to revision rather than the primary indication for the initial procedure.