Introduction. We have previously published limb lengthening using external fixation in pathological bone diseases. We would like to report a case series of femoral lengthening using the PRECICE system in a similar pathological group especially looking at it's feasibility and complications. Materials and Methods. This is a case series of four patients, two patients with osteogenesis imperfecta and two with Ollier's disease, who underwent femoral lengthening via distraction osteogenesis using the PRECICE intramedullary nail system. It was a retrospective study from a prospective database from clinical records and radiographs. Results. The mean age at the time of surgery was 15.5 years, the mean preoperative leg length discrepancy was 30mm, and the mean distraction distance achieved was 28.75mm. Since these patients were of shorter heigh, limb lengthening was considered. All 4 patients had successful insertion of the nail. The outcomes noted from the 4 patients are collated, with several complications occurring including delayed femoral union, fixed flexion deformity of the hip, persisting pain and quadriceps weakness. Those with Ollier's disease underwent an increased rate of distraction to prevent premature healing. The implications of long-term bisphosphonate therapy in OI are discussed with regards to the risk of delayed femoral union and intra-operative fracture. Conclusions. Intramedullary femoral lengthening in pathological bone disease is possible, but the surgeon needs to give attention to certain details. The regenerate formation is based on the background pathology irrespective of the hardware used. There is much more compliance with the nail technique

The goals of revision total hip on the femoral side are to achieve long term stable fixation, improve quality of life and minimise complications such as intra-operative fracture or dislocation. Ideally these stems will preserve or restore bone stock. Modular titanium stems were first introduced in North America around 2000. They gained popularity as an option for treating Paprosky 3B and 4 defects. Several studies at our institution have compared modular titanium stems with monoblock cobalt chromium stems. The main outcomes of interest were quality of life. We also looked at complications such as intra-operative fracture and post-operative dislocation. We also compared these 2 stems with respect to restoration or preservation of bone stock. In 2 studies we showed that modular titanium stems gave superior functional outcomes as well as decreased complications compared to a match cohort of monoblock cobalt chromium stems. As mentioned, one of the initial reasons for introduction of these stems was to address larger femoral defects where failure rates with monoblock cobalt chromium stems were unacceptably high. We followed a group of 65 patients at 5–10 years post revision with a modular fluted titanium stem. Excellent fixation was obtained with no cases of aseptic loosening. However, there were 5 cases of fracture of the modular junction. Due to concerns of fracture of the modular junction, more recently, at our institution, we have switched to almost 100% monoblock fluted titanium stems. We recently reviewed our first 100 cases of femoral revision with a monoblock stem. Excellent fixation was achieved with no cases of aseptic loosening. Quality of life outcomes were similar to our previous reported series on modular tapered titanium stems. Both monoblock and modular fluted titanium stems can give excellent fixation and excellent functional outcomes. This leaves a choice for the surgeon. For the low volume revision surgeon modular tapered stems are probably the right choice. Higher volume surgeons or surgeons very comfortable with performing femoral revision may want to consider monoblock stems. If one is making the switch it would be easiest to start with a simple case. Such a case would be one that can be done with a endofemoral approach. In this approach the greater trochanter is available as the key landmark for reaming. After the surgeon is comfortable with this stem more complex cases can easily be handled with the monoblock stem. In summary, both modular and monoblock titanium stems are excellent options for femoral revision. As one becomes more familiar with the monoblock stem it can easily become your workhorse for femoral revision. At our institution we introduced a monoblock titanium stem in 2011. It started out at 50% of cases and now it is virtually used in almost 100% of revision cases

Intra-operative fractures of the femur are on the rise mainly due to the increased use of cementless implants and the desire to get a tight press fit. The prevalence has been reported to be between 1–5% in cementless THAs. The key to preventing these fractures is to identify patients at high risk and careful surgical technique. Surgical risk factors include the use of cementless devices, revision hip surgery, the use of flat tapered wedges and MIS surgery. Patient factors that increased risk include increasing age, female gender, osteopenia and rheumatoid arthritis. These risk factors tend to be additive and certainly when more than one is present extra caution needs to be taken. Surgical technique is critical to avoid these intra-operative fractures. Fractures can occur during exposure and dislocation, during implant removal (in revision THA), during canal preparation and most commonly during stem insertion. In both primary, and especially in revision, THA be wary of the stiff hip in association with osteopenia or osteolysis. These patients require a very gentle dislocation. If this cannot be achieved, then alteration of the standard approach and dislocation may be needed. Examples of these include protrusion with an osteopenic femur and revision THA with a very stiff hip with lysis in the femur. Lastly, in cases with retained hardware, dislocate prior to removing plates and screws. After dislocation, the next challenge is gentle preparation of the femoral canal. A reasonable exposure is required to access the femoral canal safely. MIS procedures do not offer good access to femoral canal and this probably results in increased risk of fracture during broaching or implant insertion. When broaching, stop when broach will not advance further. When inserting a tapered wedge stem, be worried if stem goes further in than broach. In revision surgery, when taking the stem out from above, make sure the area of the greater trochanter does not overhang the canal. A high speed burr can clear the shoulder for easier access for removal. In revision THA with an ETO, place a cerclage wire prior to reaming and retighten prior to stem insertion. Even with careful surgical technique intra-operative femoral fractures will still occur. When inserting the stem, a sudden change in resistance is highly suggestive of fracture. Wide exposure of the entire proximal femur is necessary to confirm the diagnosis. The distal extent of the fracture must be seen. Only on occasion is an intra-operative radiograph needed. Management is directed to ensuring component stability and good fracture fixation. In primary total hip arthroplasty, calcar fractures are by far the most common. If using proximal fixation and you are certain the stem is stable, then all that is needed is cerclage wiring. As already mentioned, you must follow the fracture line distally so you are aware of how far down it goes. Often what appears to be a calcar split actually propagates distal to the lesser trochanter. In these cases, one would probably go for distal fixation plus wiring. In conclusion, intra-operative femoral fractures are on the rise. Prevention is the key

Periprosthetic fractures in total hip arthroplasty lead to considerable morbidity in terms of loss of component fixation, bone loss and subsequent function. The prevention, early recognition and appropriate management of such fractures are therefore critical. The pathogenesis of periprosthetic factors is multi-factorial. There are a number of intrinsic patient influences such as bone stock, biomechanics and compliance. There are also a host of extrinsic factors over which the surgeon has more control. The prevention of periprosthetic fractures requires careful pre-operative planning and templating, the availability of the necessary expertise and equipment, and knowledge of the potential pitfalls so that these can be avoided both intra-operatively and in follow-up. The key issues here are around identifying the risk, choosing the correct implant, understanding the anatomy, understanding the possible risks and avoiding them and using appropriate technique. There are a number of recognized risk factors for periprosthetic hip fractures. The prevalence of intra-operative fractures during total hip arthroplasty is higher in the patient with osteopenia/osteoporosis. Other conditions causing increased bone fragility, such as osteomalacia, Paget's disease, osteopetrosis, and osteogenesis imperfecta are also at a higher risk of intra-operative fracture. The use of more and more press fit cementless components has also increased the number of periprosthetic femoral fractures because of the force required to obtain such a fit. Complex deformities of the proximal femur, particularly when associated with a narrow medullary canal, as seen in secondary degenerative joint disease following developmental dysplasia of the hip may also increase the risk of intra-operative fractures. Revision surgery is associated with a higher risk of intra-operative fracture than primary hip replacement surgery. These fractures typically occur during hip dislocation, cement extraction, or reaming through old cement. Other risk factors for post-operative femoral fractures include loosening of the prosthesis with cortical bone loss, local osteolysis, stress risers within the cortex, such as old screw holes, the ends of plates, or impingement of a loose stem against the lateral femoral cortex. Periprosthetic acetabular fractures are increasingly recognized. This is in part due to the popularity of press fit components, which increase fracture risk both at the time of insertion and later due to medial wall stress shielding and pelvic osteolysis, and partly due to the increasing frequency of severe defects encountered at the time of revision surgery. Both over- and under-reaming are significant risk factors for acetabular fractures during total hip replacement. It is imperative to deal with the osteopenic patient gently and appropriately, being aware of the rim on the acetabular side and having the capacity for screw fixation where needed, having an understanding of where you wish to place your components and creating the appropriate runways for them, thinking about the stability of an implant as it is inserted and understanding that an implant that is less stable than expected probably is associated with either a size mismatch, a fracture or an implant that will not sit properly probably requires more or a different direction of reaming rather than harder blows with a hammer. A typical example where extra care is required is the scenario of a fractured neck of femur that requires total hip arthroplasty. The virgin native acetabulum in a patient likely to have some bony deficiency may be more difficult to deal with as it has a higher fracture risk. Pre-operative templating helps to identify the correct entry point for preparation of the lateral runway for linear insertion of a femoral stem. If resistance is met during insertion, the situation should be re-appraised to ensure that the direction and level of the rasp and prosthesis are the same. This reduces the risk of varus/valgus positioning which increases the risk of intra- and post-operative fractures. It is also important to avoid a change of version during insertion of the prosthesis as this can lead to high stresses

The goals of revision total hip on the femoral side are to achieve long term stable fixation, improve quality of life and minimise complications such as intra-operative fracture or dislocation. Ideally these stems will preserve or restore bone stock. Modular titanium stems were first introduced in North America around 2000. They gained popularity as an option for treating Paprosky 3B and 4 defects. Several studies at our institution have compared the modular titanium stems with monoblock cobalt chromium stems. The main outcomes of interest were quality of life. We also looked at complications such as intra-operative fracture and post-operative dislocation. We also compared these 2 stems with respect to restoration or preservation of bone stock. In 2 studies we showed that modular titanium stems gave superior functional outcomes as well as decreased complications compared to a match cohort of monoblock cobalt chromium stems. As mentioned one of the initial reasons for introduction of these stems was to address larger femoral defects where failure rates with monoblock cobalt chromium stems were unacceptably high. We followed a group of 65 patients at 5–10 years post-revision with a modular fluted titanium stem. Excellent fixation was obtained with no cases of aseptic loosening. However, there were 5 cases of fracture of the modular junction. Due to concerns of fracture of the modular junction more recently at our institution we have switched to almost 100% monoblock fluted titanium stems. We recently reviewed our first 100 cases of femoral revision with monoblock stem. Excellent fixation was achieved with no cases of aseptic loosening. Quality of life outcomes were similar to our previous reported series on modular tapered titanium stems. Both monoblock and modular fluted titanium stems can give excellent fixation and excellent functional outcomes. This leaves a choice for the surgeon. For the low volume revision surgeon modular tapered stems are probably the right choice. Higher volume surgeons or surgeons very comfortable with performing femoral revision may want to consider monoblock stems. If one is making the switch it would be easiest to start with a simple case. Such a case would be one that can be done with an endofemoral approach. In this the greater trochanter is available as the key landmark for reaming. After the surgeon is comfortable with this stem more complex cases can easily be handled with the monoblock stem. In summary, both modular and monoblock titanium stems are excellent options for femoral revision. As one becomes more familiar with the monoblock stem it can easily become your workhorse for femoral revision. At our institution we introduced a monoblock titanium stem in 2011. It started out at 50% of cases and now it is virtually used in almost 100% of revision cases

Intra-operative fractures of the femur are on the rise mainly due to the increased use of cementless implants and the desire to get a tight pressfit. The prevalence has been reported to be between 1–5% in cementless total hip arthroplasties (THAs). The key to preventing these fractures is to identify patients at high risk and careful surgical technique. Surgical risk factors include the use of cementless devices, revision hip surgery, the use of flat tapered wedges and MIS surgery. Patient factors that increased risk include increasing age, female gender, osteopenia and rheumatoid arthritis. These risk factors tend to be additive and certainly when more than one is present extra caution needs to be taken. Surgical technique is critical to avoid these intra-operative fractures. Fractures can occur during exposure and dislocation, during implant removal (in revision THA), during canal preparation and most commonly during stem insertion. In both primary and especially in revision THA, be wary of the stiff hip in association with osteopenia or osteolysis. These patients require a very gentle dislocation. If this cannot be achieved, then alteration of the standard approach and dislocation may be needed. Examples of these include protrusion with an osteopenic femur and revision THA with a very stiff hip with lysis in the femur. Lastly, in cases with retained hardware, dislocate prior to removing plates and screws. After dislocation, the next challenge is gentle preparation of the femoral canal. A reasonable exposure is required to access the femoral canal safely. MIS procedures do not offer as good access to femoral canal and this probably results in increased risk of fracture during broaching or implant insertion. When broaching, stop when broach will not advance further. When inserting a tapered wedge stem, be worried if stem goes further in than broach. In revision surgery when taking the stem out from above, make sure the greater trochanter does not overhang the canal. A high speed burr can clear the shoulder for easier access for removal. In revision THA with an ETO place a cerclage wire prior to reaming and retighten prior to stem insertion. Even with careful surgical technique intra-operative femoral fractures will still occur. When inserting the stem a sudden change in resistance is highly suggestive of fracture. Wide exposure of the entire proximal femur is necessary to confirm the diagnosis. The distal extent of the fracture must be seen. Only on occasion is an intra-operative radiograph needed. Management is directed to ensuring component stability and good fracture fixation. In primary total hip arthroplasty calcar fractures are by far the most common. If using proximal fixation and you are certain the stem is stable, then all that is needed is cerclage wiring. As already mentioned, you must follow the fracture line distally so you are aware of how far down it goes. Often what appears to be a calcar split actually propagates distal to the lesser trochanter. In these cases, one would probably go for distal fixation plus wiring. In conclusion intra-operative femoral fractures are on the rise. Prevention is the key. If a fracture, exposure is the key to deciding on a treatment plan

The goals of revision total hip on the femoral side are to achieve long term stable fixation, improve quality of life and minimise complications such as intra-operative fracture or dislocation. Ideally these stems will preserve or restore bone stock. Modular titanium stems were first introduced in North America around 2000. They gained popularity as an option for treating Paprosky 3B and 4 defects. Several studies at our institution have compared the modular titanium stems with monoblock cobalt chromium stems. The main outcomes of interest were quality of life. We also looked at complications such as intra-operative fracture and post-operative dislocation. We also compared these 2 stems with respect to restoration or preservation of bone stock. In two studies we showed that modular titanium stems gave superior functional outcomes as well as decreased complications compared to a matched cohort of monoblock cobalt chromium stems. As mentioned one of the initial reasons for introduction of these stems was to address larger femoral defects where failure rates with monoblock cobalt chromium stems were unacceptably high. We followed a group of 65 patients at 5–10 years post-revision with a modular fluted titanium stem. Excellent fixation was obtained with no cases of aseptic loosening. However, there were 5 cases of fracture of the modular junction. Due to concerns of fracture of the modular junction more recently, at our institution we have switched to almost 100% monoblock fluted titanium stems. We recently reviewed our first 100 cases of femoral revision with monoblock stem. Excellent fixation was achieved with no cases of aseptic loosening. Quality of life outcomes were similar to our previous reported series on modular tapered titanium stems. Both monoblock and modular fluted titanium stems can give excellent fixation and excellent functional outcomes. This leaves a choice for the surgeon. For the low volume revision surgeon modular tapered stems are probably the right choice. Higher volume surgeons or surgeons very comfortable with performing femoral revision may want to consider monoblock stems. If one is making the switch it would be easiest to start with a simple case. Such a case would be one that can be done through an endofemoral approach. In this the greater trochanter is available as the key landmark for reaming. After the surgeon is comfortable with this system more complex cases can easily be handled with the monoblock stem. In summary, both modular and monoblock titanium stems are excellent options for femoral revision. As one becomes more familiar with the monoblock stem it can easily become your workhorse for femoral revision. At our institution, we introduced a monoblock titanium stem in 2011. It started out at 50% of cases and now it is virtually used in almost 100% of revision cases

Introduction/Aim. The NAVIO robotic-assisted TKA (RA-TKA) application received FDA clearance in May 2017. This semi-active robotic technique aims to improve the accuracy and precision of total knee arthroplasty. The addition of robotic-assisted technology, however, also introduces another potential source of surgery-related complications. This study evaluates the safety profile of NAVIO RA-TKA. Materials and Methods. Beginning in May 2017, the first 250 patients undergoing NAVIO RA-TKA were included in this study. All intra-operative complications were recorded, including: bleeding; neuro-vascular injury; peri-articular soft tissue injury; extensor mechanism complications; and intra-operative fracture. During the first 90 days following surgery, patients were monitored for any post-operative complications, including: superficial and deep surgical site infection; pin-tract infection; pin site fractures; peri-prosthetic fractures; axial or sagittal joint instability; axial mal-alignment; patello-femoral instability; DVT/PE; re-operation or re-admission due to surgical-related complications. Surgical technique and multi-modality pain management protocol was consistent for all patients in the study. A combined anesthetic technique was employed for all cases, including: low-dose spinal, adductor canal block and general anesthetic. Patients were mobilized per our institution's rapid recovery protocol. Results. No patients were lost to follow-up. During the study period, no intra-operative complications were recorded. Specifically, no complications related to the introduction of the high-speed burr associated with the NAVIO RA-TKA were noted. Within the 90-day follow-up period, there was one case of deep infection. One patient sustained a fall resulting in a peri-prosthetic femoral fracture, that occurred remote from the femoral pin tracts. No cases of axial or sagittal joint instability, axial mal-alignment, patello-femoral instability, pin site infections or fractures; or DVT/PE were identified. Four patients underwent manipulation under anesthesia. No other patients required a re-operation or re-admission due to surgical-related complications. Discussion/Conclusions. The initial experience with the NAVIO robotic assisted total knee arthroplasty has demonstrated excellent safety profile. Relative to known risks associated with total knee arthroplasty, no increased risk of peri-operative complications, re-operation or re-admission for surgical related complications was identified with the introduction of the NAVIO RA-TKA

Removal of a well-fixed humeral component during revision shoulder arthroplasty presents a challenging problem. If the humeral component cannot be extracted simply from above, an alternate approach must be taken that may include compromising bone architecture to remove the implant. Two potential solutions to this problem that allow removal of the well-fixed prosthesis are making a humeral window or creating a longitudinal split in the humerus. A retrospective review was performed at the Mayo Clinic to determine the complications associated with performing humeral windows and longitudinal splits during the course of revision shoulder arthroplasty. This study included 427 patients from 1994–2010 at Mayo Clinic undergoing revision shoulder arthroplasty. From this cohort, those who required a humeral window or a longitudinal split to assist removal of a well-fixed humeral component were identified. Twenty-seven patients had a humeral window produced to remove a well-fixed humeral component. Six intra-operative fractures were reported from this group: 5 were in the greater tuberosity and 1 was in the distal humeral shaft. At the latest radiographic follow-up, 24 of 27 windows healed, 2 patients had limited inconclusive radiographic follow-up (1 and 2 months), and 1 did not have follow-up at our institution. Twenty-four patients underwent longitudinal osteotomy to extract a well-fixed humeral component. From this group, 1 had intra-operative fracture in the greater tuberosity. At most recent radiographic follow-up, 22 of 24 longitudinal splits healed, 1 had short follow-up (1 ½ months) with demonstrated signs of healing, and 1 did not have follow-up at our institution. In both groups, there were no cases of window malunion and no components have developed clinical loosening. Data from this study suggests humeral windows and longitudinal splits can assist with controlled removal of well-fixed humeral components with a high rate of union and a low rate of intra-operative and post-operative sequelae

The Taperloc Microplasty stem design was based on that of the Taperloc stem with flat tapered wedge and the distal portion of the Taperloc stem was shortened by 35mm. We report the minimum two-year follow up (mean, 26 months) of 68 primary total hip arthroplasty using the Taperloc Microplasty stem. 39 Magnum acetabular cups and 29 M2a Taper acetabular cups were inserted with metal on metal articulation. The series comprised 67 patients (20 men, 47 women) with a mean age at operation of 65 years (31 to 85). The principal diagnosis was osteosrthritis. Their mean JOA Hip Score improved significantly from 36 points preoperatively to 96 points at two-year follow up. Radiological asseement showed good bony stability in all implants. There was one case of post operative anterior dislocation. We did not see intra-operative fracture previously reported for this implant. There were no clinical and radiological complications related to MOM articulation. This short-term follow up study demonstrates that the clinical outcome of the Tapeloc Microplasty stem is comparable with that of standard Taperloc stem and other flat taper wedge stems

The femoral diaphysis presents the best opportunity for fixation during revision THA. Both fully coated cylindrical and modular fluted tapered titanium stems have demonstrated excellent results. Cylindrical stems have demonstrated concerning rates of failure when used in larger, osteopenic canals or in canals with post-isthmal divergent morphologies. Modular stems offer the advantage of separating distal fixation needs from proximal version, leg length, and offset needs via a modular junction. Although early designs demonstrated some breakages at the taper or through thin proximal bodies, newer generation implants have not demonstrated such mechanical concerns. Additionally, the modular junctions do not appear to be having any problems with corrosion. Mid- to long-term data with various designs now support the safety and efficacy of these constructs that can handle a wide variety of challenges during femoral revision. Careful attention to detail is necessary to minimise the risk of subsidence and intra-operative fracture or femoral perforation

Introduction. Failure of intertrochanteric fracture fixation often occurs in patients, who have poor bone quality, severe osteoporosis, or unstable fracture patterns. Hip arthroplasty is a good replacement procedure even though it involves technical issues such as implant removal, bone loss, poor bone quality, trochanteric nonunion and difficulty of surgical exposure. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the outcomes of total hip arthroplasty (THA) as the replacement for failed fixation of intertrochanteric fractures of the femur. Patients and Methods. 203 patients of failed intertrochanteric fractures between April 2009 and October 2014 were included in the study. All of them underwent total hip arthroplasty through direct lateral approach. 150 patients were male (73.8%) and 53 patients (26.1%) were female and the mean of age was 59.02±10.34 years old (range: 56–90 years). The indications of the failure were nail cut out in 174 (85.7%), non-union in 15 (7.3%), plate failure in 14 cases (6.8%). One patient underwent two-stage protocol due to infection. We evaluated the possible clinical and radiological complications and measured functional outcome with modified Harris hip score (MHHS). We used cementless cup in nearly all of patients (95.2%), cementless long stem in 88.1% of patients. Results. We followed patients for the mean time of 4.43±1.11 years (range 3–5 years). The mean (MHHS) was improved from 45.32±12.41 (range 40–49) to 89.37±7.41 (range 85–98) significantly (P=0.002). There was no infection, no reoperation, no dislocation, no nerve palsy, no avascular necrosis, no pulmonary embolism (PTE) and deep vein thrombosis (DVT). There was only one intra-operative fracture which was treated. All patients were ambulatory at the final follow up. There were no significant differences in hospital stay, operating time, and transfusion volume between the 2 groups (P>0.05). Conclusions. We showed in a large population study that functional outcome can be achieved by hip arthroplasty excellently in elderly patients with failed intertrochanteric fractures. Though technically demanding, properly performed hip arthroplasty can be a good replacement option for this patient group

We retrospectively analysed a single surgeon series of 22 TER in 21 patients over a 12 year period. The mean age and follow up was 59.1 years and 64 months respectively. DASH scores assessed pre and post op confirmed a significant improvement. Complications included infection, intra-operative fracture, peri-prosthetic fracture and aseptic loosening. 6 revisions were performed for various reasons.4 patients had died due to unrelated causes. The 10 year survival rate with symptomatic aseptic loosening as the end point was 93%. 5 patients had radiological loosening but were clinically asymptomatic. TER is a rewarding procedure in with advanced RA

TER is a viable surgical option in patients with advanced RA with painful stiff elbows. We retrospectively analysed 22 TER performed in 21 patients over a 12 year period by a single surgeon, with a mean follow up of 64 months (10–145). Disability of the arm, shoulder and hand (DASH) scores were performed pre-operatively and post-operatively in patients through postal questionnaires. The mean age was 59.1 years (32–78). There were 12 women and 9 men. The mean pre-operative DASH score was 72.3 (45.0–91.7) and post-operatively improved to 46.8 (21.7–94.2). Complications included infection, peri-operative fracture, peri-prosthetic fracture and aseptic loosening. There were 6 revisions performed, 2 for peri-prosthetic fracture, 2 for infection, 1 for intra-operative fracture and 1 for symptomatic aseptic loosening. Four patients had died due to unrelated causes. The 10 year survival rate with symptomatic aseptic loosening as the end point was 93% and revisions for all reasons was 69%. Follow up radiographs (in those without revision) were reviewed and 10 had satisfactory positioning of the prosthesis, 5 had loosening of the humeral or radial component and 1 had inadequate cement mantle but was clinically asymptomatic. TER is a rewarding procedure in with advanced RA. Our results are comparable to other published studies

Generally cemented total hip arthroplasty (THA) has become an extremely successful operation with excellent long-term results. Although it always remained a popular choice for the elderly patients in many countries, recent trends show an increased use of noncemented stems in all age populations in many national registries. So far, there has been no clear age associated recommendation, when a cemented stem should be used. Described major complications including periprosthetic fractures are usually associated with age >75 years, in many registries. Uncemented stems perform better than cemented stems in recent registries; however, unrecognised intra-operative femoral fractures may be an important reason for early failure of uncemented stems. Experimental studies have indicated that intra-operative fractures do affect implant survival, it has been shown that intra-operative and direct post-operative fractures increase the relative risk of revision during the first 6 post-operative months significantly. In addition it has been clearly shown, that uncemented stems were more frequently revised due to periprosthetic fracture during the first 2 post-operative years than cemented stems. Based on the overall femoral bone quality, especially in female patients >70 years, cemented fixation has a lower fracture risk. Based on the implant fixation type: metaphyseal vs. diaphyseal of various uncemented stems, major attention should be drawn to the intra-operative bone quality during the broaching process, especially for metaphyseal fixation stem types. Although cementless distal fixation can be achieved in thick cortices still in many patients, the incidence of associated thigh pain needs to be considered for some implant types. Furthermore small femoral canals might generate certain implant-bone size mismatch in relation to the proximal femur. In any cemented THA, a proper cementing technique is of major importance to assure longevity of implant fixation. This also includes proper implant sizing/templating, ensuring an adequate cement mantle thickness, which might be restricted in a small diameter femur. The desired outcome is a cement interdigitation into cancellous bone for 2–3 mm and an additional mantle of 2 mm pure cement. Consequently proper planning in small diameter patients, prevents sizing problems, while in few cases special/individualised stem sizes might be considered

Introduction:. Jumbo cups (58 mm or larger diameter in females and 62 mm or larger diameter in males), theoretically have lowered the percentage of bleeding bone that is required for osseointegration in severe acetabular defects. The purpose of this study was to analyze the safety and efficacy of Tritanium jumbo cups in patients with major acetabular defects (Paprosky type IIIa and IIIb) and assess the extent of osseointegration. Material and Methods:. From February 2007 and August 2010, 28 consecutive hips (26 patients, mean age of 69 years) underwent acetabular revision arthroplasty for treatment of Paprosky type IIIa and IIIb defects using Tritanium jumbo cups (Stryker, Mahwah, New Jersey). Results:. 14% of the hips had pelvic discontinuity. There was no intra-operative fracture. The initial stability was achieved in all hips, supplemented by screws. No Tantalum augments or bulk bone grafts were used in any of the cases. At mean follow-up of 4 years, there were no failures due to loosening or cup migration. Radiographic assessment showed osseointegration in all cups, ranging from 30% to 75% of the cup surface area as assessed in both anteroposterior and false profile views in Charnley zones I through VI. Discussion and conclusion:. In Paprosky type IIIb defect with pelvic discontinuity, jumbo cup can be used safely without the use of any augments. In pelvic dissociation, the fibrous tissue is stretched with jumbo cups in an under-reamed socket to achieve a fixation by distraction, especially in failed cemented sockets

Cement is the commonest method used to fix femoral components in the UK. This is not surprising as in the UK cemented fixation has provided better results than cementless fixation. The results of cemented fixation do however depend on the design of the stem. Polished collarless tapered stems are now the most widely used stems in the UK. These stems subside within the cement mantle thus compressing the cement and cement-bone interface and preventing these from failing. They are thus very tolerant of poor quality cementing. As a result aseptic loosening is extraordinarily rare even in young active patients. Compared with cementless fixation cement is very forgiving. It can be used with ease whatever the anatomy of the proximal femur and whatever the bone quality. Correct leg length can also easily be achieved. Thigh pain does not occur and intra-operative fractures are very rare. The antibiotics in the cement decrease the incidence of infection. In addition cement provides an effective barrier to particulate debris and joint fluid under pressure. The only real disadvantage of cemented fixation is that it may take longer than cementless fixation. However this extra time spent is compensated by the cheaper implant costs

Periprosthetic fractures present several unique challenges including gaining fixation around implants, poor bone quality and deciding on an appropriate treatment strategy. Early. With the popularity of cementless stems in primary total hip arthroplasty (THA) we have seen a concomitant rise in the prevalence of intra-operative and early post-operative fractures of the femur. While initial press-fit fixation is a requirement for osseointegration to occur, there is a fine balance between optimising initial stability and overloading the strength of the proximal femur. Hence, the risk of intra-operative fractures is intimately related to the design of the femoral component utilized (metaphyseal engaging, wedge shaped designs having the highest risk) and the strength of the bone that it is inserted into (elderly females being at highest risk). These fractures typically are associated with a loose femoral component and require revision to a stem that gains primary fixation distally. We have found a high risk of complications and problems when treating these fractures in the early post-operative period with a high risk of infection, heterotopic ossification and the requirement for subsequent surgery. Late. The Vancouver Classification is based on the location of the fracture, the fixation of the implant and the quality of the surrounding host bone. The most common pitfall in treatment is mistaking a B2 fracture (stem loose) for a B1 (stem stable); treatment of a loose implant with ORIF alone will necessarily fail

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. Materials and Methods. 433 hips implanted in patients over 75 years old were identified from our Local Joint Registry. Group A consisted of 139 tapered cemented hips, group B of 140 tapered grit-blasted uncemented hips and group C of 154 tapered porous-coated uncemented hips. A 28 mm femoral head size on polyethylene was used in all cases. The mean age was greater in group A and the physical activity level according to Devane was lower in this group (p<0.001 for both variables). Primary osteoarthritis was the most frequent diagnoses in all groups. The radiological acetabular shape was similar according to Dorr, however, an osteopenic-cylindrical femur was most frequently observed in group A (p<0.001). The pre- and post-operative clinical results were evaluated according to the Merle-D'Aubigne and Postel scale. Radiological cup position was assessed, including hip rotation centre distance according to Ranawat and cup anteversion according to Widmer. We also evaluated the lever arm and height of the greater trochanter distances and the stem position. Kaplan-Meier analysis was done for revision for any cause and loosening. Results. The hip rotation centre distance was greater and the height of the greater trochanter was lower in group B (p=0.003, p<0.001, respectively). The lever arm distance was lower in group C (p<0.001). A varus stem position was more frequently observed in group B (p<0.001). There were no intra- or post-operative fractures in group A, although there were five intra-operative fractures in the other groups plus two post-operative fractures in group B and four in group C. The rate of dislocation was similar among groups and was the most frequent cause for revision surgery (8 hips for the whole series). The mean post-operative clinical score improved in all groups. The overall survival rate for revision for any cause at 120 months was 88.4% (95% CI 78.8–98), being 97.8% (95% CI 95.2–100) for group A, 81.8% (95% CI 64.8–98.8) for group B and 95.3% (95% CI 91.1–99.6) for group C (log Rank: 0.416). Five hips were revised for loosening. The overall survival rate for loosening at 120 months was 91.9% (95% CI 81.7–100), being 99.2%(95% CI 97.6–100) for group A, 85.5 (95% CI 69.9 −100) for group B and 100% for group C (Log Rank 0.093). Conclusions. Despite a more osteopenic bone in the cemented group, the rate of peri-prosthetic fractures was higher after uncemented THR in patients older than 75 years. Although the overall outcome is good with both types of fixation, the post-operative reconstruction of the hip, which might be more reliable after cemented fixation, may affect the rate of complications in this population

Introduction. The goal of revision total hip arthroplasty (THA) for acetabular defects is to achieve the best stability and fixation with available host bone. Tritanium is a highly porous metal construct with a titanium matrix coating. We are reporting our experience of utilizing this material in patients with major acetabular defects. Methods. Between February 2007 and August 2010, 24 consecutive hips (23 patients) underwent acetabular reconstruction using the Tritanium cups. The acetabular defects were assessed using the Paprosky classification. Anteroposterior and lateral radiographs were analyzed at follow-up based for the presence of radiolucent lines more than 2 mm in any of the 3 zones. Results. Mean follow-up was 3.6 ± 1.1 years (range 1.5–5 years). There were 12 males and 11 females. The acetabular defects were type 2a (2 hips), 2b (3 hips), 2c (5 hips), 3a (8 hips), and 3b (6 hips). Two patients had pelvic dissociation. Mean anteversion and abduction angles were 43 ± 4.6 and 19.5 ± 4.4 degrees respectively. All hips had radiographic evidence of osteointegration. Four hips had small demarcation at zones 1 and 3 (<1 mm), however, there were no hips with circumferential or more than 2 mm demarcation. There was no intra-operative fracture or post-operative dislocation, instability, or infection. Discussion and Conclusion. The short-term results of titanium cups in major acetabular defects are encouraging. Our results demonstrate excellent safety and efficacy of this material in revision THA