Fracture risks are the most common argument against the use of Ceramic on ceramic (CoC) hip implants. Question: is ceramic material at risk in case of severe local trauma?

Over a long period, we tried to identify patients with a CoC prosthesis (Ceraver Osteal°)who did sustain a trauma. This was conducted in three different institutions.

Eleven patients were found: 9 males and 2 females aged 17 to 70 years at time of index surgery. Accident occurred 6 months to 15 years after index: one car accident, five motorcycle accident, five significant trauma after a fall, including one ski board accident. Consequences of these trauma were: six fractures of the acetabulum with socket loosening in 4 that needed revision, two femoral shaft fracture, one orifed and one stem exchanged, one traumatic hip dislocation associated to loosening of the socket revised at 10 years, and one traumatic loosening of the socket. Ten had no consequence on ceramic integrity. One experienced a fracture of the patella from a dashboard trauma, a liner shipping was discovered during socket revision 2 years later. This is the only case of possible relation between trauma and ceramic fracture. In a more recent longitudinal study on 1856 CoC prosthesis performed from 2010 to 2021, 29 severe traumas were identified with no consequence on Ceramic material.

From this limited case study, it can be assumed that Pure Alumina Ceramic well designed and manufactured, will not break after a significant trauma.

Introduction

Pelvic tilt can vary over time due to aging and the possible appearance of sagittal spine disorders. Cup position in total hip arthroplasty (THA) can be influenced due to these changes. We assessed the evolution of pelvic tilt and cup position after THA and the possible appearance of complications for a minimum follow-up of ten years.

Introduction

Biological repair of acetabular bone defects after impaction bone grafting (IBG) in total hip arthroplasty could facilitate future re-revisions in case of failure of the reconstruction again using the same technique. Few studies have analysed the outcome of these acetabular re-revisions.

Background

Aseptic loosening is rare with most cementless tapered stems in primary total hip arthroplasty (THA), however different factors can modify results. We ask if the shape and technique of three current different femoral components affects the clinical and radiological outcome after a minimum follow-up of ten years.

Introduction

Impaction bone grafting (IBG) is a reliable technique for acetabular revision surgery with large segmental defects. However, bone graft resorption and cup migration are some of the limitations of this tecnique. We assess frequency and outcome of these complications in a large acetabular IBG series.

We assessed the clinical and radiological outcome of a single uncemented total hip replacement (THR) after twenty years, analysing polyethylene wear and osteolysis.

82 hips implanted between 1992 and 1995 were prospectively evaluated. Mean follow-up was 20.6 years (18–23). A hemispherical porous-coated cup matched to a proximally hydroxyapatite-coated anatomic stem. A 28mm PE liner, sterilised by gamma irradiation in air, was used in all hips. Radiological position, eventual loosening and osteolysis were recorded over time. Penetration of the head into the liner was measured by the Roentgen Monographic Analysis (ROMAN) Tool at 6 weeks, 6 months, one year and yearly thereafter.

Six cups were revised due to wear and four cups because of late dislocation. All stems showed osseointegration and all cups appeared radiographically well-fixed. Six unrevised hips showed osteolysis on the acetabular side and two hips on the proximal femur. Creep at one year was 0.30±0.23 mm. Mean total femoral head penetration was 1.23mm at ten years, 1.52mm at 15 years and 1.92mm at 23 years. Overall mean wear was 0.12±0.1 mm/year and 0.09±0.06 mm/year after the creep period. Mean wear was 0.08±0.06 mm/year in hips without osteolysis and 0.14±0.03 mm/year in hips revised or hips with osteolysis (p<0.001).

Although continued durable fixation can be observed with porous-coated cups and proximally hydroxyapatite-coated anatomic stems, true wear continues to increase at a constant level over time. PE wear remains as the main reason for osteolysis and revision surgery in uncemented THR after twenty years.

Introduction

Acetabular fractures management is controversial since, despite a good anatomical reduction, clinical outcome is not satisfactory very often and the probability of a total hip arthroplasty (THA) is high. Surgical treatment include long operating times, large approach, blood loss, neural and muscle damage, and a high risk of failure and secondary osteoarthritis related to bone necrosis, cartilage damage, and bone loss.

We hypothesized that the acetabular fracture management affected the clinical and radiological outcome of THA after posttraumatic arthritis.

Different pathologies, deformities, bone defects, previous surgeries and polyethylene wear limit the survival of total hip arthroplasty (THA) in young patients. We compare preoperative status and outcome in 171 young and very young patients (207 hips) who underwent a ceramic-on-ceramic THA. Sixty-three (77 hips) were less than 30 years old (group 1) and 108 (130) were between 30 and 40 years old. Mean follow-up was 11.3 years. Two-way ANOVA with repeated measures were used to analyse clinical and radiological changes.

Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) was the most frequent diagnosis in group 1 and avascular necrosis in group 2. Charnley class type C, low activivity, previous surgery and osteoporotic bone were more frequent in group 1 patients. There were 2 cup revisions for aseptic loosening in group 1 and 4 in group 2. Survivorship analysis at 15 years was 96.7% (95% IC 92.2 a 100) for group 1 and 96.1% (95% IC 92.2 to 100) for group 2 (p=0.749). Despite the worse preoperative status in group 1 patients, clinical outcome was similar in both groups. Severe dysplasia had the worst clinical result and avascular necrosis the best. Patients with Charnley class C and JRA showed the most improvement. Radiographic reconstruction of the abduction angle was worse in group 1 (p=0.02). No osteolysis or complications derived from ceramic use were found.

We conclude that despite the worse preoperative status in group 1 patients, clinical and radiographic results were good in both groups of patients who received a ceramic-on-ceramic THA.

Background

Although the tribological characteristics are excellent, cup fixation has been one of the limitations in alumina-on-alumina total hip replacement (THR), so different types of materials and surfaces have been developing. We analysed the clinical and radiological outcome of two different uncemented cups for the same alumina-on-alumina THR.

Background and aim

Recent proposals have been introduced to modify stem design and/or femoral fixation in total hip replacement (THR). New designs need to consider previous design features and their results. The aim of this study has been to evaluate the clinical and radiological results of six different designs of tapered uncemented stems implanted in our Institution.

Total hip replacement (THR) in young patients has been associated to higher revision rates than in older population. Different conditions may lead to end-stage arthritis of the hip in these patients. We compared the clinical and radiological outcome of two different groups of young and very young patients who underwent a ceramic-on-ceramic THR.

120 hips were prospectively followed for a mean of 10.4 years (range, 5 to 17). 38 patients (46 hips) were less than 30 years old (group 1), and, 68 (74 hips) were between 31 and 40 years old (group 2). Weight (p<0.001) and physical activity level were greater in group 2 (p<0.001). Preoperative function (p=0.03) and range of mobility (p=0.03) were worse in group 1. Primary osteoarthritis was not found in any case. Rheumatoid juvenile arthritis was the most frequent diagnosis in group 1 and avascular necrosis of the femoral head in group 2. A femoral funnel-shaped type 1 according to Dorr was more frequent in group 2 (p=0.04). The same ceramic-on-ceramic uncemented THR was used in all cases. Screws for cup fixation were only used when strictly needed. We analysed the clinical results according to the Merle-D´Aubignè and Postel scale, the postoperative radiological reconstruction of the hip and the radiological appearance of cup loosening. Kaplan-Meier survivorship analysis was used to estimate the cumulative probability of not having a revision surgery.

Screw use required to obtain a secured interference fit of the acetabular component was found more frequently in group 1 (p=0.01). Postoperative pain (p=0.002) and function (p=0.002) were better in group 1. Mean acetabular abduction angle of the cup was greater in group 1 (p=0.03) and reconstruction to the hip rotation center according to Ranawat (p=0.01) was better in group 2. Placement of the acetabular component inside the Lewinnek´s zone and stem position were similar in both groups. No hips were revised due to complications related to ceramic or to stem loosening. Three cups were revised for aseptic loosening in group 1 and four in group 2. The survival rate for cup aseptic loosening at 15 years was 92.3% (95% CI: 83.7 to 100) for group 1 and 93.1% (95% CI: 85.3 to 99.9) for group 2 (Log rank, p=0.88).

Ceramic-on-ceramic uncemented THR is an excellent option for young and very young patients. Despite worse preoperative conditions in patients under the age of 30 years, a similar clinical outcome was found in this series.

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.

Background and aim

Recent proposals have been introduced to modify stem design and/or femoral fixation in total hip replacement (THR). New designs need to consider previous design features and their results. The aim of this study has been to evaluate the clinical and radiological results of six different designs of tapered uncemented stems implanted in our Institution.

Introduction

The use of screws is frequent for additional fixation, however, since some disadvantages have been reported a cup press-fit is desirable, although this can not always be obtained. Cup primary intraoperative fixation in uncemented total hip replacement (THR) depends on sex, acetabular shape, and surgical technique. We analyzed different factors related to primary bone fixation of five different designs in patients only diagnosed with osteoarthritis, excluding severe congenital hip disease and inflammatory arthritis, and their clinical and radiological outcome.

Although cemented fixation provides excellent results in primary total hip replacement (THR), particularly in patients older than 75 years, uncemented implants are most commonly used nowadays. We compare the rate of complications, clinical and radiological results of three different designs over 75-years-old patients.

Introduction

Uncemented press-fit cups provide bone fixation in primary total hip replacement (THR). However, sometimes screws are needed to achieve primary stability of the socket. We analyzed biomechanical factors related to press-fit in seven cup designs and assessed whether screw use provides similar loosening rates to those of the press-fit technique.

Different bearing surfaces, including alumina-on-alumina have been used to avoid osteolysis.

We ask if the use of modern ceramics matched with metal-backed sockets improves clinical results avoiding aseptic loosening, osteolysis and late dislocations.

We prospectively analysed 315 Cerafit cups in two different generations: First generation implanted between 1999 and 2005 (124 cups) and second generation (191 cups) all implanted with a 5-year minimum follow-up, and associated with a Multicone-HAP stem using alumina-on-alumina bearings. Patients' mean age was 48.7+13.6 years.

There were three dislocations within the first postoperative month and one early recurrent dislocation requiring reoperation using a double mobility cup. There were four intraoperative fractures, two in rheumatoid juvenile arthritis cases solved with a cerclage, and one postoperative fracture solved using a femoral long-stem. No fractures were seen in the alumina components in this series. Also, there have been no infections. There were 4 patients reporting non-reproducible squeaking. Survivorship analysis for cup loosening for any cause was 93% for group 1 (11 cups) and 99.2% for group 2 (1 cup in a patient with severe developmental dysplasia). The cumulative probability of not having a revision of one or both components for any cause was 96.9% (CI 95%:9.47–99.1%), All unrevised cases showed good clinical and radiographic results at the end of follow-up. No stem loosening, osteolysis nor 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.

These data suggest that Cerafit alumina-on-alumina prostheses show excellent results after fiften years. Cup loosening was more frequent in the cups of first generation, but not currently. Continued follow-up will be required to determine if reduction in wear between the alumina-on alumina bearings results in less osteolysis and loosening.

Background

Cup migration and bone graft resorption are some of the limitations after acetabular impaction bone grafting (IBG) technique in revision hip surgery when used for large segmental defects. We asked whether the use of a metallic mesh may decrease the appearance of this complication. We compared the appearance of loosening in patients with a bone defect 3A or 3B according to Paprosky.

Introduction

Dislocation is one of the most important complications after primary total hip replacement (THR). The low incidence of this finding makes it difficult to analyse the possible risk factors. The surgical technique can also influence this rate through cup position or an adequate reconstruction of the hip.

We assessed the demographic data and radiological reconstruction of the hip related to the appearance of dislocation after primary THR.

Introduction

Proper cup positioning is a critical component in the success of total hip arthroplasty surgery. A multicenter study has been initiated to study a new type of highly cross-linked polyethylene. This study provides a unique opportunity to a review the acetabular cup placement of over 500 patients implanted in the past 2 years from 13 medical centers from the U.S., Mexico, and Europe.