Abstract
Introduction
Alumina-on-alumina in total hip replacement has been used for avoiding osteolysis and loosening. Published series report no ceramic wear and low rates for fractures and noises, but report poor results because of acetabular fixation failure. From 1999 to 2005, we used the “first generation” of a cementless cup, tri-radius relatively-smoothed HA coated (group 1), and from 2006 we have used a “second-generation” of this same cementless cup design with a macrotextured surface (group 2). We compare the perioperative conditions of two groups of patients using these two different cups and the clinical and radiological results.
Material and Methods
We analysed 679 (612 patients) consecutive and non-selected primary cementless alumina-on-alumina prostheses. There were 342 hips in group 1 and 337 in group 2. The stem used for all patients in this series was the same and fitted with an Al2O3 liner and femoral head. The use of screws were according to the intraoperative stability of the cup (pull-out test). Patients’ mean age was 48.7+13.6 years and the average follow-up until revision or the last evaluation was 11.7 years for group 1 and 5.4 years for group 2.
Results
Group 1, osteopenic and dysplastic acetabulae and women had a higher risk of screw use (p=0.004, p<0.001, p<0.001, p=0.011, respectively). Although the pre-operative clinical score was worse in group 2, the post-operative results were better (p<0.001).). No squeaking was found in any case. No alumina fractures occurred in this series. There was malseating of the liner in three hips, spontaneously resolved at six monthpostsurgery in all cases. No stem loosening, osteolysis or stress shielding were found in any case by the end of follow-up. Changes in linear femoral head penetration were not seen in any hip. There were 17 revised cups due to aseptic loosening, 15 were group 1 and two group 2. The probability of not having cup loosening was 93.3% (95% CI: 89.7 to 96.9) in group 1 and 97.5% (95% CI: 93.5 to 100) in group 2. Cup loosening was more frequent for severe congenital dysplasia of the hip (p<0.001) and in acetabular Dorr’ type C than in other types (p=0.0004). Of the hips revised for aseptic loosening, 6 were inside Lewinnek's safe zone versus 11 cups which was outside this zone (p<0.0001). Multivariate analysis showed that acetabular type C and cups outside Lewinnek´s safe zone had a higher risk for aseptic loosening (p<0.001, HR: 8.088, 95% CI 3.121–20.961; and p=0.003, HR: 5.128, 95% CI 1.773–14.829, respectively).
Conclusions
Although the follow-up of this series is too short in the new Cerafit cup to allow definite conclusions, our data suggest that Cerafit alumina-on-alumina prostheses show excellent results after fifteen years. The macrotextured surface of the cup improved fixation compared to the early group Cup loosening was more frequent in severe congenital dysplasia, acetabular Dorr type C and in cups implanted outside of the Lewinnek's safe zone. Continued follow-up is required to determine if reduction in wear between the alumina-on alumina bearings results in less osteolysis, loosening, and late dislocations
