Abstract
Dual mobility components for total hip arthroplasty provide for an additional articular surface, with the goals of improving range of motion, jump distance, and overall stability of the prosthetic hip joint. A large polyethylene head articulates with a polished metal acetabular component, and an additional smaller metal head is snap-fit into the large polyethylene. New components have been released for use in North America over the past four years. In some European centers, these components are routinely used for primary total hip arthroplasty. Some surgeons in USA suggest routine use in primary hip arthroplasty. However, their greatest utility is to manage recurrent dislocation in the setting of revision total hip arthroplasty.
Recent biomechanical data suggests that, in a 3D CT scan-cadaver hip model, there is no difference in range of motion between a 36mm head and an ADM dual mobility component sizes 50–56mm. There is little wear data on dual mobility components, except from one implant manufacturer. It is feared that there is a “3rd articulation” in dual mobility components—the routine impingement of the femoral neck against the polyethylene femoral head. Several retrospective series have shown satisfactory results for these dual mobility components at short- to medium-term follow-up times. There are important concerns with polyethylene wear, late intra-prosthetic dislocation, and the lack of long-term follow-up data.
Big femoral heads (36mm and 40mm) articulating with highly cross-linked, e-beam, remelted, polyethylene are a better choice in primary total hip arthroplasty, to decrease the frequency of dislocation in “high risk” patients. Although the risk of early dislocation was 4% in “high risk” patients, there was no recurrence, no revision, and no late first dislocation. Until further long-term results are available, caution is advised in the routine use of dual mobility components in primary total hip arthroplasty.
