Pharmacological treatment of heterotopic ossification following hip surgery: an update

Heterotopic ossification is a frequent complication following total hip arthroplasty and acetabular surgery. Formation of ectopic lamellar bone in tissues that exhibit no potential for ossification can lead to associated pain and decrease in function. Prophylaxis and treatment protocols aim to reduce the incidence, by both the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) regimens and localized radiotherapy. New therapeutic modalities including bone morphogenetic proteins (BMP) inhibitors like Noggin, BMP type 1 receptor inhibition, nuclear retinoic acid receptor-gamma agonists (RAR-γ), and free radical scavengers are currently under investigation.