The February 2023 Trauma Roundup³⁶⁰ looks at: Masquelet versus bone transport in infected nonunion of tibia; Hyperbaric Oxygen for Lower Limb Trauma (HOLLT): an international multicentre randomized clinical trial; Is the T-shaped acetabular fracture really a “T”?; What causes cut-out of proximal femur nail anti-rotation device in intertrochanteric fractures?; Is the common femoral artery at risk with percutaneous fragility pelvis fixation?; Anterior pelvic ring pattern predicts displacement in lateral compression fractures; Differences in age-related characteristics among elderly patients with hip fractures.

Aims

Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) patients report exacerbation of hip pain in deep flexion. However, the exact impingement location in deep flexion is unknown. The aim was to investigate impingement-free maximal flexion, impingement location, and if cam deformity causes hip impingement in flexion in FAI patients.

Aims

Rotational acetabular osteotomy (RAO) has been reported to be effective in improving symptoms and preventing osteoarthritis (OA) progression in patients with mild to severe develomental dysplasia of the hip (DDH). However, some patients develop secondary OA even when the preoperative joint space is normal; determining who will progress to OA is difficult. We evaluated whether the preoperative cartilage condition may predict OA progression following surgery using T2 mapping MRI.

As our understanding of hip function and disease improves, it is evident that the acetabular fossa has received little attention, despite it comprising over half of the acetabulum’s surface area and showing the first signs of degeneration. The fossa’s function is expected to be more than augmenting static stability with the ligamentum teres and being a templating landmark in arthroplasty. Indeed, the fossa, which is almost mature at 16 weeks of intrauterine development, plays a key role in hip development, enabling its nutrition through vascularization and synovial fluid, as well as the influx of chondrogenic stem/progenitor cells that build articular cartilage. The pulvinar, a fibrofatty tissue in the fossa, has the same developmental origin as the synovium and articular cartilage and is a biologically active area. Its unique anatomy allows for homogeneous distribution of the axial loads into the joint. It is composed of intra-articular adipose tissue (IAAT), which has adipocytes, fibroblasts, leucocytes, and abundant mast cells, which participate in the inflammatory cascade after an insult to the joint. Hence, the fossa and pulvinar should be considered in decision-making and surgical outcomes in hip preservation surgery, not only for their size, shape, and extent, but also for their biological capacity as a source of cytokines, immune cells, and chondrogenic stem cells. Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2020;9(12):857–869

Aims

Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) describes abnormal bony contact of the proximal femur against the acetabulum. The term was first coined in 1999; however what is often overlooked is that descriptions of the morphology have existed in the literature for centuries. The aim of this paper is to delineate its origins and provide further clarity on FAI to shape future research.

Aims. Accurate positioning of the acetabular component is essential for achieving the best outcome in total hip arthroplasty (THA). However, the acetabular shape and anatomy in severe hip dysplasia (Crowe type IV hips) is different from that of arthritic hips. Positioning the acetabular component in the acetabulum of Crowe IV hips may be surgically challenging, and the usual surgical landmarks may be absent or difficult to identify. We analyzed the acetabular morphology of Crowe type IV hips using CT data to identify a landmark for the ideal placement of the centre of the acetabular component as assessed by morphometric geometrical analysis and its reliability. Patients and Methods. A total of 52 Crowe IV and 50 normal hips undergoing total hip arthroplasty were retrospectively identified. In this CT-based simulation study, the acetabular component was positioned at the true acetabulum with a radiographic inclination of 40° and anteversion of 20° (Figure 1). Acetabular shape and the position of the centre of the acetabular component were analyzed by morphometric geometrical analysis using the generalized Procrustes analysis (Figure 2). To describe major trends in shape variations within the sample, we performed a principal component analysis of partial warp variables (Figure 3). Results. The plot of the landmarks showed that the centre of the acetabular component of normal hips was positioned around the centre of the acetabulum and superior and slightly posterior on the acetabular fossa (Figure 3). The acetabular shapes of Crowe IV hips were distinctively triangular; the ideal position of the centre of the acetabular component was superior on the posterior bony wall (Figure 3). The first and second relative warps explained 34.2% and 18.4% of the variance, respectively, compared with that of 28.6% and 18.0% in normal hips. We defined the landmark as one-third the distance from top on the posterior bony wall in Crowe IV hips. The average distance from the centre of the acetabular component was 5.6 mm. There were 24 hips (50%) for which the distance from 1/3 pbw was within 5 mm, and 43 hips (89.6%) for which the distance was within 10 mm. Conclusions. Morphometric geometrical analysis showed that the acetabulum shape of Crowe type IV hips was distinctively triangular; the centre of the acetabular component was not positioned at the centre of the acetabulum, but rather superior on the posterior bony wall. The point one-third from the top on the posterior bony wall was a useful landmark for surgeons to set the acetabular component in the precise position in Crowe IV hips. This avoids the risk of using a smaller acetabular component and destruction of the anterior wall. For any figures or tables, please contact the authors directly

Introduction. Instability continues to be the number one reason for revision in primary total hip arthroplasty (THA). Commonly, impingement precedes dislocation, inducing a levering out the prosthetic head from the liner. Impingement can be prosthetic, bony or soft tissue, depending on component positioning and anatomy. The aim of this virtual study was to investigate whether bony or prosthetic impingement occurred first in well positioned THAs, with the hip placed in deep flexion and hyperextension. Methods. Twenty-three patients requiring THA were planned for a TriFit/Trinity ceramic-on-poly cementless construct using the OPS. TM. dynamic planning software (Corin, UK). The cups were sized to best fit the anatomy, medialised to sit on the acetabular fossa and orientated at 45° inclination and 25° anteversion when standing. Femoral components and head lengths were then positioned to reproduce the native anteversion and match the contralateral leg length and offset. The planned constructs were flexed and internally rotated until anterior impingement occurred in deep flexion [Fig. 1]. The type (bony or prosthetic), and location, of impingement was then recorded. Similarly, the hips were extended and externally rotated until posterior impingement occurred, and the type and location of impingement recorded [Fig. 2]. Patients with minimal pre-operative osteophyte were selected as a best-case scenario for bony impingement. Results. 6/23 (26%) patients were planned with only a 32mm articulation (<50mm cup size), with the remaining 17 patients all planned with both 32mm and 36mm articulations (≥50mm cup size). Anterior impingement was 26% prosthetic and 74% bony with the 32mm articulations, and 100% bony with the 36mm articulations. Bony impingement in deep flexion was exclusively anterior neck on anterior inferior iliac spine. Posterior impingement was 57% prosthetic and 43% bony with the 32mm articulations, and 41% prosthetic and 59% bony with the 36mm articulations. Bony impingement in hyperextension was exclusively lesser trochanter (LT) on ischium. Of the patients planned with both 32mm and 36mm articulations, there was a 14% increase in prosthetic impingement when a 32mm head was planned (35% and 21% respectively). Discussion. Impingement in THA usually precedes dislocation and should be avoided with appropriate component positioning. We found that in hyperextension, prosthetic and bony impingement were equally common. In deep flexion, impingement was almost exclusively bony. Further studies should investigate the effects of stem version, cup orientation, liner design, cup depth, native offset and retained osteophytes on the type of impingement in THA. For any figures or tables, please contact the authors directly

Aims

A borderline dysplastic hip can behave as either stable or unstable and this makes surgical decision making challenging. While an unstable hip may be best treated by acetabular reorientation, stable hips can be treated arthroscopically. Several imaging parameters can help to identify the appropriate treatment, including the Femoro-Epiphyseal Acetabular Roof (FEAR) index, measured on plain radiographs. The aim of this study was to assess the reliability and the sensitivity of FEAR index on MRI compared with its radiological measurement.

Aims

We analyzed the acetabular morphology of Crowe type IV hips using CT data to identify a landmark for the ideal placement of the centre of the acetabular component, as assessed by morphometric geometrical analysis, and its reliability.

Introduction. The objective of this study was to compare the performance of the Explant Acetabular Cup Removal System (Zimmer), which has been the favored system for many surgeons during hip revision surgery, and the new EZout Powered Acetabular Revision System (Stryker). Methods. 54mm Stryker Trident® acetabular shells were inserted into the foam acetabula of 24 composite hemi-pelvises (Sawbones). The hemi-pelvises were mounted on a supporting apparatus enclosing three load cells. Strain gauges were placed on the hemipelvis, on the posterior and the anterior wall, and on the internal ischium in proximity to the acetabular fossa. A thermocouple was fixed onto the polar region of the acetabular component. One experienced orthopaedic surgeon and one resident performed mock revision surgery 6 times each per system. Results. Statistical analysis was conducted using Tukey's range test (HSD). The maximum force transferred to the implant was more than 4X lower with the EZout System regardless the surgeon experience (p=1.0E-08). Overall, recorded strains were lower for the EZout System with the higher decrease in strain (5X) observed at the posterior wall region(p=2E-08). The temperature at the interface was higher for the EZout System but never more than 37°C. Total removal time was on average reduced by a third with the EZout System (p=0.01). The calculated torque was lower for the EZout System. The amount of foam left on the cup after removal, which mimics the compromised bone, was 2.5X higher on average for the Explant System with most of the foam concentrated in the polar region. Lastly, it was observed that the polar region of each implant was reached by rotating the EZout System handpiece within a very narrow cylinder of space centered along the axis of the acetabular component compared to the Explant System, which required movement of the pivoting osteotomes within a large cone-shaped operating envelope. Discussion. Quantitatively, the EZout System required lower force, producing lower strains in the surrounding composite bone. Higher impact forces and associated increased strains may increase fracture risk. Qualitatively, the Explant System required a greater cone of movement than the EZout System requiring more space for the surgeon to leverage the handle of the tool. In addition, both surgeon and resident felt substantially greater exhaustion after using the Explant System vs. the EZout System. The resident compensated for the increased workload of the Explant with time, the experienced surgeon with force. The learning curve for both experienced surgeon and resident was also much shorter with the EZout System as shown by the close force values between the experienced surgeon and resident. Conclusion. Based on the results of this in vitro model, the EZout Powered Acetabular Removal System may be a reasonable alternative to manual removal techniques

Objectives. Few reports were shown about the position of the cup in total hip arthroplasty (THA) with CT-based navigation system. We use minimally invasive surgery (MIS) technique when we perform cementless THA and the correct settings of cups are sometimes difficult in MIS. So we use CT-based navigation system for put implants with correct angles and positions. We evaluated the depth of cup which was shown on intra-operative navigation system. Materials and Methods. We treated 30 hips in 29 patients (1 male and 28 females) by navigated THA. 21 osteoarthritis hips, 6 rheumatoid arthritis hips and 3 idiopathic osteonecrosis hips were performed THA with VectorVision Hip navigation system (BrainLAB). Implants were AMS HA cups and PerFix stems (Japan Medical Materials, Osaka). Appropriate angles and positions of cups were decided on the 3D model of pelvis before operation. According to the preoperative planning, we put the implants with navigation system. We correct the pelvic inclination angle and measured the depth of cups with 3D template software. Results. The average distance from the surface of the cup to the edge of medial wall of pelvis was 3.4mm (0.0–8.0mm) on the axial plane which include the center of femoral head on postoperative CT. The average distance from the surface of the cup to the edge of medial wall of pelvis was 6.4mm (1.5–15.0mm) on intraoperative navigation. The average error was 2.9mm (0.0–9.0mm). The cup positions of post operative CT were deeper than that of intraoperative navigation in twenty six hips (86%). Conclusions. The shallow setting of cups caused the instability of cups. Deep setting caused damage of acetabular fossa. The positions of cups on the navigation system tend to be shown shallower than actual positions, so we should take care of deeper setting

Aims

Several studies have reported the safety and efficacy of subcapital re-alignment for patients with slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) using surgical dislocation of the hip and an extended retinacular flap. Instability of the hip and dislocation as a consequence of this surgery has only recently gained attention. We discuss this problem with some illustrative cases.

Introduction. Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is one of the most common orthopedic surgeries. The procedure is sophisticated and in addition to several factors affecting the outcomes such as patient's status, surgeon's expertise and implant type, using appropriate surgical tools is necessary. Acetabular component implantation necessitates the surgeon to ream the acetabular fossa which is time consuming and devastating. Utilizing currently-used reamers (figure 1), the size of the tool must be changed repeatedly for 5–20 times within a surgery. In every stage, the size of the reamer is increased up to 1–2 mm. This tiring process takes 15–30 minutes and is associated with some injuries to the soft tissue. Furthermore, the risk of mistakes is considerable. Objectives. Designing a new system which overcomes the limitations and defects with previous systems. Methods. Regarding the defects of currently used reaming tools, we designed a tool mounted on the drill. This tool has 3 pairs of reaming blades placed with 120° angle relative to each other (figure 2). Results. The new tool is applicable for all the diameters between 38–58 mm with 0.2 mm accuracy. We evaluated the efficacy of the tool in vitro (figure 3) and found that maxiaml error in acetabular radius is 0.1 mm. Conclusions. The new reaming system is an appropriate and efficient system for exact reaming of the acetabulum

Objectives

Excessive acetabular coverage is the most common cause of pincer-type femoroacetabular impingement. To date, an association between acetabular over-coverage and genetic variations has not been studied. In this study we investigated the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of paralogous Homeobox (HOX)9 genes and acetabular coverage in Japanese individuals to identify a possible genetic variation associated with acetabular over-coverage.

Salter innominate osteotomy is an effective reconstructive procedure for the treatment of developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH), but some children have a poor outcome at skeletal maturity. In order to investigate factors associated with an unfavourable outcome, we assessed the development of the contralateral hip. We retrospectively reviewed 46 patients who underwent a unilateral Salter osteotomy at between five and seven years of age, with a mean follow-up of 10.3 years (7 to 20). The patients were divided into three groups according to the centre–edge angle (CEA) of the contralateral hip at skeletal maturity: normal (> 25°, 22 patients), borderline (20° to 25°, 17 patients) and dysplastic (<  20°, 7 patients). The CEA of the affected hip was measured pre-operatively, at eight to nine years of age, at 11 to 12 years of age and at skeletal maturity. The CEA of the affected hip was significantly smaller in the borderline and dysplastic groups at 11 and 12 years of age (p = 0.012) and at skeletal maturity (p = 0.017) than in the normal group. Severin group III was seen in two (11.8%) and four hips (57.1%) of the borderline and dysplastic groups, respectively (p < 0.001).

Limited individual development of the acetabulum was associated with an unfavourable outcome following Salter osteotomy.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2014;96-B:1419–23.

Introduction. Computer-assisted methods for acetabulum cup navigation have shown to be able to improve the accuracy of the procedure, but are time-consuming and difficult to use. The goal of this project was to develop an easy-to-use navigation technique, requiring minimal equipment for acetabular cup alignment. Material. A preoperative CT scan was obtained, a 3D model of the acetabulum was created, the pelvic plane determined and the cup orientation planned. A registration area, which included the accessible part of the acetabular fossa and the surrounding articular surface, was chosen for the individualised guide. A guidance cylinder, aligned along the planned cup orientation, was attached in the centre of the guide. To transfer the planned alignment information from the registered guide to the impacting of the cup, we developed an intraoperative guidance method based on inertia sensors. The sensors were aligned orthogonal to the central cylinder of the patient-specific guide and the orientation was recorded. At the time of impacting the cup, the sensors were attached to the impactor and the surgeon used the recorded information for the alignment of the impactor. Results. To measure the accuracy of the proposed registration method, we performed an in-vitro trial on three fresh-frozen hemipelves with seven participants. The deviation between the planned and registered inclination averaged 3.01° (StDev 5.7). In anteversion, we measured an average error of 4.33° (StDev 2.8). We tested the feasibility of the proposed method in a clinical trial. The postoperative radiographic measured angles in this trial were 45° anteversion (planned 45°) and 25° inclination (planned 20°). Discussion. We introduce a novel method for computer-assisted cup alignment, which is easy to integrate into the surgical workflow. Our preliminary results suggest that this method is accurate. However, further clinical studies are necessary to verify its clinical feasibility and accuracy

Developmental dysplasia of the hip is a condition in which the acetabulum provides insufficient coverage of the femoral head in the hip joint. This configuration gives poor biomechanical load distribution, with increased stress at the superior aspect of the joint surfaces, and can often lead to degenerative arthritis. Morphologically, the poor coverage may be due to an acetabulum that is too shallow or oriented in valgus. The dysplastic deformity can be treated surgically with a group of similar procedures, often labeled periacetabular osteotomies or rotational acetabular osteotomies. Each involves separating the acetabulum from the pelvis and fixating the fragment back to the pelvis in an orientation with increased coverage of the femoral head. This redistributes the biomechanical loads relative to acetabulum. Bone remodeling at the level of trabeculae is an accepted concept under research; however, it is unclear whether the hip undergoes gross morphology changes in response to changes in biomechanical loading. An understanding of the degree to which this remodeling occurs (if at all) may have an impact on surgical planning. In this retrospective study, computed tomography (CT) scans of 13 patients (2 male, 11 female, 40 ± 9 years of age) undergoing unilateral periacetabular osteotomies were examined; scans were taken both pre-operatively and at least a year post-operatively with an in-plane resolution of 0.55 mm and a slice thickness of 1.25 mm. Scans were segmented to produce triangulated meshes for the proximal femurs and the pelvis. These scans were manually processed to isolate the articular portions of the femoral heads and acetabulums, respectively; the fovea, acetabular fossa, any osteophytes and any segmentation artifacts were excluded. Post-operative meshes were registered to their pre-operative counterparts for both the femoral head and the acetabulum, for both the operative and non-operative hips, using the iterative closest point (ICP) algorithm to 20 iterations. To account for differences in defining the edges of the articular surfaces in the manual isolation, metrics were only calculated using points that were within 0.3 mm of a normal from the opposing mesh. With the resulting matched data, nearest neighbour distances were calculated to form the remodeling metrics. Select spurious datapoints were removed manually. For the operative femoral heads, the registered post-operative points were 0.24±0.53 mm outside of the pre-operative points. The maximum deviation was on average 1.94 mm with worst-case of 2.99 mm; the minimum deviation was −0.62 mm with worst-case of −2.06 mm. Positive numbers indicate the post-operative points are ‘outside’ of the pre-operative points – that is, farther from the head centre. The non-operative femoral heads have similar deviation values, 0.21±0.46 mm outside, with maximum and minimum deviation averaging to 1.24 mm and −0.74 mm respectively, with worst cases of 2.99mm and −1.80mm. For the operative acetabulums, the post-operative deviations were −0.08±0.43mm. The maximum and minimum deviations averaged to 0.62mm and −0.82mm, with worst cases of 2.14mm and −1.51mm across the set. Again, the non-operative acetabulums were very similar; post-operative deviations were −0.02±0.43mm, maximum and minimum deviations averaged to 1.24mm and −0.65mm, with worst cases of 1.97mm and −2.00mm. These quantitative measurements were reflected in manual examination of the meshes; generally speaking, there were small deviations with no overarching patterns across the anatomy. All metrics were very similar across the same anatomy (that is, femoral head or acetabulum) regardless of whether the hip operative or non-operative. Femurs tended to ‘grow’ slightly post-operatively, but by less than a half voxel in size. Given that the CT voxels are large compared to the measured deviations, it is possible the results may be sensitive to the manual segmentations used as source data. Manual examination of the deviations indicated a few potential trends. Seven operative and eleven non-operative acetabulums had a small patch of positive deviation (1mm to 1.5mm) in the anterosuperior aspect. This can be seen in the plot as the yellow-red area near the top right of the leftmost rendering. Other high-deviation areas included the superior aspect of the acetabulum (both positive and negative) and the superior aspect of the femoral head (generally positive). The edges of the mesh were often a source of high deviation. This is likely an artifact of over-inclusion the manual isolation of the articular surfaces, as joint surfaces become non-articular as they move away from the joint interface. Overall, the superior and anterosuperior aspects of the acetabulum and the superior aspect of the femoral head showed some indication of systemic changes; further study may clarify whether these data represent consistent anatomical changes. However, as the magnitude of the deviations between pre- and post-operative scans are on or below the order of the CT voxel size, we conclude that (in the absence of other strongly compelling evidence) periacetabular osteotomies for adults should be planned without the expectation of gross remodeling of the articular surfaces

Objectives. Few reports were shown about the position of the cup in total hip arthroplasty (THA) with CT-based navigation system. We use minimally invasive surgery (MIS) technique when we perform cementless THA and the correct settings of cups are sometimes difficult in MIS. So we use CT-based navigation system for put implants with correct angles and positions. We evaluated the depth of cup which was shown on intra-operative navigation system. Materials and Methods. We treated 30 hips in 29 patients (1 male and 28 females) by navigated THA. 21 osteoarthritis hips, 6 rheumatoid arthritis hips and 3 idiopathic osteonecrosis hips were performed THA with VectorVision Hip 2.5.1 navigation system (BrainLAB). Implants were AMS HA cups and PerFix stems (Japan Medical Materials, Osaka). Appropriate angles and positions of cups were decided on the 3D model of pelvis before operation. According to the preoperative planning, we put the implants with navigation system. We correct the pelvic inclination angle and measured the depth of cups with 3D template software. Results. The average distance from the surface of the cup to the edge of medial wall of pelvis was 3.4mm (0.0-8.0mm) on the axial plane which include the center of femoral head on postoperative CT. The average distance from the surface of the cup to the edge of medial wall of pelvis was 6.4mm (1.5-15.0mm) on intraoperative navigation. The average error was 2.9mm (0.0-9.0mm). The cup positions of post operative CT were deeper than that of intraoperative navigation in twenty six hips (86%). Conclusions. The shallow setting of cups caused the instability of cups. Deep setting caused damage of acetabular fossa. The positions of cups on the navigation system tend to be shown shallower than actual positions, so we should take care of deeper setting

Hip arthroscopy is particularly attractive in children as it confers advantages over arthrotomy or open surgery, such as shorter recovery time and earlier return to activity. Developments in surgical technique and arthroscopic instrumentation have enabled extension of arthroscopy of the hip to this age group. Potential challenges in paediatric and adolescent hip arthroscopy include variability in size, normal developmental change from childhood to adolescence, and conditions specific to children and adolescents and their various consequences. Treatable disorders include the sequelae of traumatic and sports-related hip joint injuries, Legg–Calve–Perthes’ disease and slipped capital femoral epiphysis, and the arthritic and septic hip. Intra-articular abnormalities are rarely isolated and are often associated with underlying morphological changes.

This review presents the current concepts of hip arthroscopy in the paediatric and adolescent patient, covering clinical assessment and investigation, indications and results of the experience to date, as well as technical challenges and future directions.

Labral tears are commonly associated with femoroacetabular impingement. We reviewed 151 patients (156 hips) with femoroacetabular impingement and labral tears who had been treated arthroscopically. These were subdivided into those who had undergone a labral repair (group 1) and those who had undergone resection of the labrum (group 2). In order to ensure the groups were suitably matched for comparison of treatment effects, patients with advanced degenerative changes (Tönnis grade > 2, lateral sourcil height < 2 mm and Outerbridge grade 4 changes in the weight-bearing area of the femoral head) were excluded, leaving 96 patients (101 hips) in the study. At a mean follow-up of 2.44 years (2 to 4), the mean modified Harris hip score in the labral repair group (group 1, 69 hips) improved from 60.2 (24 to 85) pre-operatively to 93.6 (55 to 100), and in the labral resection group (group 2, 32 hips) from 62.8 (29 to 96) pre-operatively to 88.8 (35 to 100). The mean modified Harris hip score in the labral repair group was 7.3 points greater than in the resection group (p = 0.036, 95% confidence interval 0.51 to 14.09). Labral detachments were found more frequently in the labral repair group and labral flap tears in the resection group. No patient in our study group required a subsequent hip replacement during the period of follow-up.

This study shows that patients without advanced degenerative changes in the hip can achieve significant improvement in their symptoms after arthroscopic treatment of femoroacetabular impingement. Where appropriate, labral repair provides a superior result to labral resection.