The revision of the hip surgery belongs to the major orthopaedic surgery and the purpose of our research is the presentation of our experience. During the period 2004–2008, revision in surgery of the hip was performed in 15 patients, while most of them were women with average 73 years. 190 subcapital fractures were revisioned in 7 patients, 277 pertrochanteric fractures in 3 patients, 75 total arthroplasties in 5 patients and all of them were bipolar arthroplasties and osteosynthesis with DSH plate. The average interval between the primary operation and revision arthroplasty was 28 months, revision of the acetabular was performed in 3, revision of the femoral in 1 and regarding to the other patients both types of revision were performed. According to Paprosky classification we noted lesions of type I and type II and in 13 cases operation was made in a time. Early complications appeared in 6 patients (mostly postoperative infections). For the stabilization of the acetabular we used supporting rings with bone grafts or press fit acetabulars without cement, while for the femoral, according to the injury extend and the bone quality, the stabilization of the stem was made with cement. The average follow-up time was 20 months, we re-examined 14/15 patients and chronic complications appeared in 2 patients. The final result was satisfactory, according to Harris-Hip score with the radiological evaluation. Conclusively, hip revisions are difficult and demanding operations, accompanied by serious complications. For their success good preoperative planning, experience and complete material-technical supporting are required with use, most of the times, of custom made prosthesis, supporting rings of the acetabular with bone graft.
Periprosthetic fractures represent a challenging problem in joint arthroplasty the incidence of which seems to be increasing due to the big number of the arthroplasties and the increasing average life expectancy. The purpose of this study is to present the methods of treatment, the problems that we have to solve intra-operatively and our long term results about the healing procedure and the fuctional restoration. Between 2000–2008 we operated 15 femoral peri-prosthetic fractures(1 re-fracture). 10 of them were after hip arthroplasties. The classification which used was Lewis-Rorabeck for the fractures after TKR and Vancouver for them after THA. Cause of fracture was fall and the time interval from the primary operation was 1–14 years. The majority of the patients were women(14), and the mean age 65 years. 13 of the 15 fractures were treated with ORIF and the remaining two need to be revised. During the follow up 2 of them died due to other pathological problems. The post op follow up ranged from 1–8(3.5)years. The postoperative evaluation was done according the Harris Hip Score and the Knee Society Clinical Rating System. The fractures healed after a mean time of 6 months. Two postoperative wound infections were registered to the revised fractures and their treatment were successful with surgical debridement. All the patients are in good health condition, moving with some kind of support and they are selfreserved. As a conclusion we believe that this kind of fractures demand the proper surgical planning, prediction of all possible complications and the cooperation of other specialties and physiotherapisties.
In contrast, the release of the inflammatory cytokine TNF-α and the multifunctional growth factor TGF-β-2 occurred at lower doses (0.0005 to 5 μm3/cell for TNF-α and 0.5 to 50 μm3/cell for TGF-β-2). No release of IL-6 was detected at any dose. Only growth factor FGF-23 was increased in similar pattern to the DNA damage.
Wear debris from worn cobalt chrome joint replacements causes an increase in chromosomal translocations and aneuploidy. In this study the relationship between the amount of DNA damage and the changes in gene expression was investigated in human fibroblasts after exposure to artificial cobalt chrome particles. The comparison was made with different doses of particles, at different time intervals and in fibroblasts of different ages, those that had completed 10 population doublings (10 PD fibroblasts) and those that had completed 35 population doublings (35 PD fibroblasts). The genes (TGF-©¬2, p38 MAPK, Integrin ¥â1, SOD1, Caspase 10, PURA, FRA-1 and VNR) were chosen after a previous screen with cDNA microarrays. The percentage of senescent cells was evaluated using an immunohistochemical assay for ¥â-galactosidase activity. The 35 PD fibroblasts showed significantly more ¥â-galactosidase activity than the 10 PD fibroblasts. The level of DNA damage, as detected with the alkaline comet assay, was greater at higher doses, at longer exposures (up to 24 hours) and in 10 PD fibroblasts. The expression of all the genes listed above was generally lower after exposure to cobalt chrome particles using semi-quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The reduction in gene expression, like the increase in DNA damage was greater at higher doses and at longer exposure times. After 24hr exposure the reduction in gene expression was greater in 10 PD fibroblasts compared to 35 PD fibroblasts. After 6hr exposure this was only true at higher doses of particles and the opposite was seen after a lower dose of particles. These results show that levels of gene expression of TGF-©¬2, p38 MAPK, Integrin ¥â1, SOD1, Caspase10, PURA, FRA-1 and VNR may be correlated with the level of DNA damage and that this depends on the dose and length of exposure and the age of the cells. This highlights the potential importance of these genes in the mutagenicity of cobalt chrome particles in human fibroblasts.
The choice of the surgical exposure in total hip arthroplasties for osteoarthritis is a significant parameter for a successful outcome. The aim of this study is to evaluate complications or/and advantages related to the most often used approaches for total hip arthroplasties: the direct lateral or transgluteal (Hardinge) and the posterior (Moore) one. During the period 1997–2000, 50 patients with lateral approach and 50 patients with posterior approach were randomly selected from a pool of 394 total hip arthroplasties (382 patients). Patients with surgery of the contralateral hip were excluded. The mean age of the patients was 72 years (62–84 years) and the indication was degenerative osteoarthritis. The operating time and the postoperative, early and late, complications were studied. The average follow-up was 18 months (12–24 months) and included clinical and radiographic control. The mean operating time was 76 min. (63–91 min.) and 92 min. (83–110 min.) for lateral and posterior approach, respectively. Complications (early and late) associated with transgluteal approach were 16 patients with positive trendelenburg sign, which disappeared within one year post op, 8 with sympathetic knee effusion which subsided within 6 weeks, 2 with ectopic periarticular ossification and 1 with severe thigh pain. In total hip arthroplasties with posterior approaches, 4 cases were complicated with ectopic ossification, 3 with sympathetic knee effusion which subsided within 4 weeks, 2 with posterior dislocation which needed revision surgery and 2 with peroneal nerve paresis which recovered within 6 months. Except for the trendelenburg sign (p<
0.001), all the other complications did not differ statistically significantly (p>
0.05). In conclusion, the posterior approach seems to be related with more severe postoperative complications compared to the transgluteal approach. The gluteus medius’ loss of strength (responsible for limping in equal legs’ length), could be treated with prompt strengthening of the muscle within the first postoperative year.