In patients with severe acetabular deficiency due to rheumatic arthritis (RA), the mid-term result of THA including a bone graft in the acetabular bed were analyzed.

A total of 32 patients with 40 joints, comprising of 30 females and 2 males, were reviewed in this study. These patients had severe acetabular deficiency and were receiving THA for RA, including a bone graft in the acetabular bed. The average age at surgery was 58. 3 years and the average follow-up period was 6. 2 years. These patients had suffered from RA for 21 years on an average. The acetabular bed was filled with the chip bone and covered with the slice bone, followed by strong pressurization of the implanted bone and fixation of the cup with a screw. The patients were evaluated clinically using the Harris hip score, and radiologically using the Gruen radiographic analysis and the Sotelo-Garza and Charnley classification.

In the clinical evaluation using score, the mean score improved from 39. 7 preoperatively to 82. 3 postoperatively. An improvement in pain, walking ability, ROM and ADL were observed. In the radiological evaluation using the Gruen analysis, more radiolucent lines tended to appear in the zone 1, of which none was progressive or indicated loosening. On the femoral side, more partially radiolucent lines of 1 mm or less tended to appear in the zone 4, of which none indicated osteolysis or loosening. The mean thickness of acetabular bed improved from 4. 3 mm preoperatively to 13. 5 mm postoperatively. During the follow-up period, no collapse of the implanted bone, dislocation of the cup or loosening was observed.

Treatment with the bone graft method using slice bone and chip bone are used for acetabular deficiency in rheumatic hip joint in our department, this methods is considered to be an effective treatment, because it has provided a good initial fixation of cup and a good graft survival.