Between December 1995 and June 1996, we reviewed 53 consecutive patients who were at least 80 years old and had undergone a revision of a hip prosthesis between June 1988 and June 1995. Three patients (6%) had died after the operation in the hospital. Thirty-five patients were still alive with a mean follow-up of 4.0 years (range, 1.0-7.3 years). At follow-up, 15 patients had died, with a mean survival period of 25 months. Thirteen of the 15 (89%) belonged to American Society of Anesthesiologists' (ASA) group 3. Of 50 patients, 40 (80%) returned to their original social environment. Admission to a home for elderly people or to a nursing home was unrelated to the procedure in 9 of 10 cases. Complications occurred in 27 patients (51%). Major complications occurred only in high-risk patients, classified as ASA 3 according to the physical status classification of the ASA.