Abstract
Aims: The aim of the study was a ten-year survivorship analysis of the cemented Weber stem. This cemented, collared stem is successfully implanted since 1968, but exact data were lacking until now. Methods: Between 1984 and 1990 1374 Weber stems have been implanted at our institution in 687 male and 687 female patients with an average age of 62 (63 resp.) years. After surgery and at regular intervals thereafter the patients are clinically and radiographically controlled. Those patients with incomplete data were contacted by telephone or by letter. Results: The Weber stem was combined in 623 cases with an Endler cup, which is an uncemented threaded polyethylen cup and in 612 cases with a Zwey-müller cup, a threaded titanium shell with a polyethylen inlay. In the other cases different cups in small numbers were used. The rate of intraoperative complications was 5% and the rate of postoperative complications was 6%.
310 patients (23%) had to be revised after an average duration of eight years. In 233 cases only the cup was revised, in 35 cases both components were revised and in 14 cases only the stem was revised.
In 222 of the 233 cup revisions (95%) the Endler cup had failed. In the 35 cases with revision of both components the Endler cup had failed in 28 cases. In the 14 stem revisions only in two cases an Endler cup was involved. The Endler cup resulted in a significant increase of stem revisions. The ten-year survivorship of all hips was only 82% due to the high failure rate of the Endler cup. If only the stem was analysed the ten-year survivorship increased to 96%. Conclusion: This high survival rate confirms the clinical impression of the excellent performance of the Weber stem.
Theses abstracts were prepared by Professor Dr. Frantz Langlais. Correspondence should be addressed to him at EFORT Central Office, Freihofstrasse 22, CH-8700 Küsnacht, Switzerland.
