Introduction: today there is still no consense in reconstruction of severe acetabular defects in hip revision. Since 1988 we use size matched impacted acetabulum allografts. We evaluate how they behave in the mid–and longterm.

Materials and Methods: we present our first 44 transplants with a mean follow-up of 12,2 years (range 7 to 18). The mean age of the patients was 58,6 years (range 19 to 83). According to Gross Classification 26 cases presented an acetabular defect type III while 18 presented type IV. Evaluation included Merle D’Aubigne Score and radiological assessment of allograft and cup according to Engh Criteria (JBJS, 1994).

Results: homogenization of the radiological trabecular pattern was observed in 42 from 44 cases (95,4%). There were 3 infections and 7 cases of aseptic loosening (15,9%), that were revised with new cup implantation. Up to now none of these 7 cases have shown further signs of loosening. According to the Kaplan-Meier’s curves the overall predictive survival rate was 76.4% at 15 years. In cases of pelvic discontinuity (type IV) survivorship was significantly higher (85,7%, p=0,018). There was a highly marked improvement in Merle D’Aubigne Score in Gait (2,2 preoperative – 4,9 at follow-up, p=0,021) and Pain (2,5 preoperative – 5,4 at follow-up, p=0,032).

Conclusions: despite published reports with high incidence of failures in the midterm with structural allografts this serie shows clearly that a size matched impacted acetabulum allograft can be successfull in severe defficiencies if proper donor selection and excellent fixation technique is undertaken.

Introduction: today there is still no consense in reconstruction of severe acetabular defects in hip revision. Since 1988 we use size matched impacted acetabulum allografts. We evaluate how they behave in the mid- and longterm.

Material and method: we present our first 44 transplants with a mean follow-up of 11,2 years (range 6 to 17). The mean age of the patients was 58,6 years (range 19 to 83). According to Gross Classification 26 cases presented an acetabular defect type III while 18 presented type IV. Evaluation included Merle D’Aubigne Score and radiological assessment of allograft and cup according to Engh Criteria (JBJS, 1994).

Results: homogenization of the radiological trabecular pattern was observed in 42 from 44 cases (95,4 %). There were 3 infections and 7 cases of aseptic loosening (15,9 %), that were revised with new cup implantation. Up to now none of these 7 cases have shown further signs of loosening. According to the Kaplan-Meier’s curves the overall predictive survival rate was 76.4 % at 15 years. In cases of pelvic discontinuity (type IV) survivorship was significantly higher (85,7%, p=0,018). There was a highly marked improvement in Merle D’Aubigne Score in Gait (2,2 preoperative – 4,9 at follow-up, p=0,021) and Pain (2,5 preoperative 5,4 at follow-up, p=0,032).

Conclusions: despite published reports with high incidence of failures in the midterm with structural allografts this serie shows clearly that a size matched impacted acetabulum allograft can be successfull in severe defficiencies if proper donor selection and excellent fixation technique is undertaken.

Introduction: Femoroacetabular Impingement had been until now an unknown pathology. It causes pain in the movements of flexion-adduction-internal rotation, due to a bump effect between the head-neck surface of the femur and the anterior acetabular rim.

Material and Method: We analysed our 14 first patients, 3 operated bilaterally with 1 year F.U.. In bilateral cases, the time between both operations ranged from 5 to 8 weeks. Mean Age: 36 years (27 to 48), all sports active patients.. The technique that we used was through our modified Hueter approach . The superoanterior rim of the acetabulum was excised as well as the deformity at the femoral side that causes a less femoral neck-offset. For that purpose we used special maxilofacial-reamers instead of chisels. In this way we avoid any bleeding from the femoral neck. With this technique we avoid a Trochanter osteotomy, as performed by other authors (Ganz, Trousdale) .

Results: Pain relief was obtained 4 weeks after surgery in 13 from 14 patients. Mean hospitalization time was 2,6 days (2 to 5). Improvement in ROM was significative (p= 0,006): from −17 mean internal rotation (−14 to −28) at 80 flexion to +23 mean one month postop internal rotation (14 to 32).There was a significant improvement of hip score according to Merle d’Aubigne evaluation (p=0,017): 13,8 points preop (13 to 15) to 16,9 at F.U. (16–18). Neither Trendelemburg nor osteonecrosis was observed in any patient, as possible complications related to the approach. Mean time of rehabilitation was 3,8 weeks ( 3 to 5). All patients returned to their respective sports activities

Discussion: The Modified Femoroacetabular Osteoplasty allows rapid improvement of the normal hip motion , relatively short rehabilitation time and sports resumption as well. However midterm new osteoarthritic changes had to be assessed, although clinical and functional improvement has been evident. This surgical procedure makes us think about other alternatives to hip endoprosthesis in young adults.

Introduction: knee revision in absence of Extensor Mechanism has been always a challenging problem in Orthopaedics. Many authors are in favour to abandone any endoprosthetic substitution in front of such a situation.

We think osteotendinous allografts, in this particular case whole Extensor Mechanism allografts, could play an essential role before any Knee Arthrodesis.

Material and Method: From 1999 up to 2004 11 patients (4 male, 7 female) (mean age 72, range 68 to 86) underwent to a whole Extensor Mechanism allografting procedure. Mean follow up was 2.7 years (1 to 5 years).

In the first four cases a whole Extensor Mechanism allograft was implanted, while the next seven cases the allograft was reinforced by means of a Leeds-Keio Dacron band.

Results: There was no infections in this serie. The mean obtained R.O.M. in the first three months was – 5 of active extension (range 0 to −15) and 95 active flexion (range 80 – 110). However 3 from the 4 former operated cases had a progressive loss of active extension up to −25 (range −20 to −35) at 18 months, that did not increase after this period. Ultrasonic exams showed a lengthening of the patellar tendon in these cases. None of these 3 patients wished to undergo to a patellar tendon reinforcement.

On the other hand those later cases, where patellar tendon was reinforced did not show any change over the time (at 18 months mean active extension was maintained to −5 (range 0 to 15)

Conclusions: Extensor mechanism allografts are very useful in difficult knee revisions with absence of extensor mechanism, so that knee arthrodesis is not the method of choice for these patients. However augmentation of patellar tendon is necessary to maintain with the years an active extension.

Introduction: The anterior femoroacetabular impingement syndrome has so far been a great unknown in orthopedic surgery. It is typically characterized by pain when the hip is subjected to the flexion – adduction – internal rotation movement. This pain is provoked by the impaction of the head-neck interface on the anterior wall of the acetabulum. The reason for this may be a retroverted acetabulum, an excessively prominent anterosuperior femoral head-neck junction or a combination of both. For many years, patients have been diagnosed with “adductor tendinopathy” or “inguinal herniations”, when in fact they had a coxofemoral problem.

Materials and methods: The first 14 cases operated were analyzed; all of them were young patients who played sports regularly. Using the modified Smith-Petersen approach, an osteoplasty was made in order to resect in the anterior wall and the superior walls of the acetabulum – the latter only in part – and the prominent head-neck junction of the femur. The result was an improvement in the joint balance and the disappearance of impingement. Unlike other authors (Ganz, Trousdale), we avoided an osteotomy of the greater trochanter as a surgical approach.

Results: In 13 of the first 14 cases operated with the technique described, immediate pain relief was achieved on internal flexorotation. ROM went from −17 ° mean internal rotation (range: −14°–−28°) in one 80 ° flexion to +23° after one month postop (range: 14°–32°). After two months, there were no instances of Trendelemburg sign or osteonecrosis of the femoral head.

Conclusions: We should wait to assess the pre-osteoarthritic development of these patients, although their clinical and functional improvement is evident.