Abstract
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this study is to elucidate longitudinal kinematic changes of the hip joint during heels-down squatting after THA.
METHODS
66 patients with 76 primary cementless THAs using a CT-based navigation system were investigated using fluoroscopy. An acetabular component and an anatomical femoral component were used through the mini-posterior approach with repair of the short rotators. The femoral head size was 28mm (9 hips), 32mm (12 hips), 36mm (42 hips), and 40mm (12 hips). Longitudinal evaluation was performed at 3 months, 1 year, and 2≤ years postoperatively. Successive hip motion during heels-down squatting was recorded as serial digital radiographic images in a DICOM format using a flat panel detector. The coordinate system of the acetabular and femoral components based on the neutral standing position was defined. The images of the hip joint were matched to 3D-CAD models of the components using a2D/3D registration technique. In this system, the root mean square errors of rotation was less than 1.3°, and that of translation was less than 2.3 mm. We estimated changes in the relative angle of the femoral component to the acetabular component, which represented the hip ROM, and investigated the incidence of bony and/or prosthetic impingement during squatting (Fig.1). We also estimated changes in the pelvic posterior tilting angle (PA) using the acetabular component position change. In addition, when both components were positioned most closely during squatting, we estimated the minimum angle (MA) up to theoretical prosthetic impingement as the safety margin (Fig.2).
RESULTS
No prosthetic or bony impingement and no dislocation occurred in any hips. The mean maximum hip flexion ROM was 92.4° (range, 76.6° – 107.9°) at 3 months, 103.4° (range, 81.5° – 115.2°) at 1 year, and 102.4° (range, 87.1° – 120.6°) at 2≤ years (3 months vs 1 year, p<0.05; 1 year vs 2≤ years, p>0.05, paired t-test). The mean PA was 26.7° (range, 0.9° – 49.8°) at 3 months, 21.7° (range, 3.4° – 43.8°) at 1 year, and 21.2° (range, −0.7° – 40.4°) at 2≤ years (3 months vs 1 year, p<0.05; 1 year vs 2≤ years, p>0.05). The mean flexion ROM and MA at 2≤ years were 98.4±20.8° and 14.3±7.3° in 28 mm heads, 102.3±10.7° and 15.6±4.8° in 32 mm heads, 102.8±14.5° and 20.3±9.6° in 36 mm heads, and 103.2±16.9° and 23.4±10.9° in 40 mm heads, respectively. There were no significant differences in the hip flexion ROM between 28, 32, 36, and 40 mm head cases, whereas MA significantly increased as the femoral head diameter was larger (p<0.05, unpaired t-test).
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION
Three-dimensional assessment of dynamic squatting motion after THA using the 2D/3D registration technique enabled us to elucidate longitudinal kinematic change of the hip joint. Longitudinal kinematic analysis indicated that hip flexion ROM and posterior tilt during squatting changed significantly by 1 year postoperatively, and there were no significant changes after 1 year while safety margin kept > 10°.
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