Abstract
We previously reported the result of 45 Charnley LFA’s with femoral head autograft for Developmental Dysplasia of the hip with a minimum follow-up of ten years.
After an average follow-up of eleven years there was no revision. One socket migrated and four sockets were fully demarcated.
To assess our long-term results we reviewed the clinical and radiological findings in the same group of patients that had been studied previously.
To date 5 patients died from causes unrelated to the hip replacement and were excluded from the final radiological analysis. 40 Charnley LFA’s have been followed-up regularly.
The average follow-up is now 17 years 1 month / range: 15–21 years/. Three sockets have been revised: two for aseptic loosening and one for infection. Radiographic assessment showed that three sockets migrated and four had full demarcation.
Demarcation at the cement-bone interface of the socket was rare in zone one but was common in zone two.
We concluded that sound fixation of the autograft and orientations of the acetabular component are essential. We recommend that solid bone graft should be combined with impaction bone grafting in dysplastic cases. We also observed that bone grafting at primary surgery gives better chances for component fixation at the time of revision.
Editoral Secretary Mr Peter Howard. Correspondence should be addressed to BHS at the Royal College of Surgeons, 35 - 43 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, London WC2A 3PN.
