We evaluated triple-phase bone scintigraphy in the differential diagnosis of peri-prosthetic infection in 46 patients with a total hip replacement or bipolar hemiarthroplasty who were due for revision surgery. There were 18 men and 28 women, with a mean age at operation of 64.6 years (28 to 81). We defined peri-prosthetic infection as an increased uptake of radioisotope in all the phases of triple-phase bone scintigraphy and validated these results against the histological and/or microbiology results in every case. The positive and negative predictive values for the presence of infection were 83% and 93%, respectively. The diagnostic sensitivity was 88% and the specificity was 90%. This study indicates that triple-phase bone scintigraphy is a useful tool in the detection of peri-prosthetic infection and offers a cost-effective method of screening

Introduction. Ascertaining the etiology of hip pain in young patients can be challenging. Osteoid osteoma about the hip has only been described in case reports and small case series in this sub-population. This study assessed the clinical course, radiologic findings, and treatment approaches in a large series of pediatric osteoid osteoma cases about the hip. Potential diagnostic and treatment pitfalls were identified. Methods. A single-center tertiary care departmental database was queried for all cases of osteoid osteoma seen between Jan 1, 2003 and December 31, 2015. Medical records were reviewed to identify those with lesions identified within or around the hip joint. Clinical, demographic, and radiologic data were analyzed. Results. Fifty children and adolescents (56% female, mean age 12.4 years, range 3–19 years) were identified with osteoid osteoma about the hip. The femoral neck was the most common lesion location (38%), and pain in the hip was the most common presenting chief complaint (60%). Night pain (90%) and symptom relief with NSAIDs (88%) were extremely common, though not universally reported. Sclerosis and/or cortical thickening was visible in 58% of radiographs, though a lucent nidus was visible in only 42%. Thirty patients (60%) underwent MRI, 27 of which were available for review, with focal peri-lesional edema as a universal finding. Amongst intracapsular lesions (n=17, 63%), common findings included medial retinacular thickening (33%), synovitis (45%) and effusion (76%). In the 43 patients (48%) who underwent CT, a diagnostic lucent nidus was a universal finding. Initial alternative diagnoses were recorded in 46% of cases, including, in order of decreasing frequency, femoro-acetabular impingement, minor trauma, hip synovitis, ‘growing pain’, stress fracture, and infection. Abnormal hip range of motion, positive impingement signs, and global synovitis on MRI scan were found to be associated with alternative diagnosis. On multivariate regression analysis, only abnormal hip ROM was independently predictive of alternative diagnosis. Delay in diagnosis of >6 months was seen in 43% of patients. Three patients underwent preceding operative procedures for other hip diagnoses, but had persistent hip pain until the osteoid osteoma was treated. Forty-one patients (82%) ultimately underwent radiofrequency ablation (RFA), and 1 open osteoid osteoma resection was performed. Of those who underwent RFA, 93% achieved complete symptom resolution, with 2 of 3 patients without symptom resolution undergoing revision RFA procedure, 1 of which led to symptom resolution. Complications of treatment included 1 case of deep infection along an RFA track, requiring operative debridement, 1 case of transient weakness and paresthesias in the involved extremity, and 1 case of fracture at the RFA site, requiring ORIF. Conclusions. Alternative andelayed diagnoses are common in osteoid osteoma about the hip, with femoro-acetabular impingement representing the most common alternative initial diagnosis in our series. While varying presenting complaints and nonspecific MRI findings may contribute to diagnostic uncertainty, night pain was present in the vast majority of cases and CT scans provided definitive diagnosis in all patients who received them. As increasing numbers of young, active patients are being evaluated for various causes of hip pain, such as femoro-acetabular impingement, osteoid osteoma should not be overlooked in the differential diagnosis of pain about the hip

Aims. We present a case series of ten metal-on-polyethylene total hip arthroplasties (MoP THAs) with delayed dislocation associated with unrecognised adverse local tissue reaction due to corrosion at the trunnion and pseudotumour formation. . Methods. The diagnosis was not suspected in nine of the ten patients (six female/four male; mean age 66 years), despite treatment in a specialist unit (mean time from index surgery to revision was 58 months, 36 to 84). It was identified at revision surgery and subsequently confirmed by histological examination of resected tissue. Pre-operative assessment and culture results ruled out infection. A variety of treatment strategies were used, including resection of the pseudotumour and efforts to avoid recurrent dislocation. . Results. The rate of complications was high and included three deep infections, two patients with recurrent dislocation, and one recurrent pseudotumour. . Conclusion. This series (mean follow-up of 76 months following index procedure and 19 months following revision THA) demonstrates that pseudotumour is an infrequent but important contributor to delayed instability following MoP THA. It is easy to overlook in the differential diagnosis, especially if the alignment of the components is less than optimal, leading to an assumption that malalignment is the cause of the dislocation. The instability is likely to be multifactorial and the revision surgery is complex. Take home message: Due to the high complication rate associated with revision in this cohort, the diagnosis should be borne in mind when counselling patients regarding the risks of revision surgery. . Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2016;98-B:187–93

The differential diagnosis of the painful total hip arthroplasty (resurfacing or total hip) includes infection, failure of fixation (loosening), tendinitis, bursitis, synovitis, adverse local tissue reaction (ALTR) to cobalt-chromium alloys, and non-hip issues, such as spinal disorders, hernia, gynecologic, and other pelvic pain. Assuming that the hip is the source of pain, the first level question is prosthetic or non-prosthetic pain generator? The second level prosthetic question is septic or aseptic? The third level question (aseptic hips) is well-fixed or loose? ALTR is best diagnosed by cross-sectional imaging. Successful treatment is dependent on correct identification and elimination of the pain generator. Treatment recommendations for ALTR and taper corrosion are evolving

Aims

Psychological status may be an important predictor of outcome after periacetabular osteotomy (PAO). The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of psychological distress on postoperative health-related quality of life, joint function, self-assessed pain, and sports ability in patients undergoing PAO.

We have reviewed a consecutive series of six professional footballers who presented with intractable hip pain which was attributed at arthroscopy, to an anterior acetabular labral tear with adjacent chondral damage. The location and type of labral tear were identical for each patient. There was no evidence of acetabular dysplasia. A variable area of chondral damage was associated with the labral tear. All unstable tissue was resected. Five returned to professional football at the highest level. Acetabular labral pathology should be included in the differential diagnosis of footballers with hip or groin pain. Arthroscopy of the hip is an appropriate method of diagnosis and treatment and minimises the length of rehabilitation required

Aims

Leucocyte esterase (LE) has been shown to be an accurate marker of prosthetic joint infection (PJI), and has been proposed as an alternative to frozen section (FS) histology for intraoperative diagnosis. In this study, the intraoperative assessment of LE was compared with FS histology for the diagnosis of prosthetic hip infection.

An 81-year-old woman presented with a fracture in the left femur. She had well-fixed bilateral hip replacements and had received long-term bisphosphonate treatment. Prolonged bisphosphonate use has been recently linked with atypical subtrochanteric and diaphyseal femoral fractures. While the current definition of an atypical fracture of the femur excludes peri-prosthetic fractures, this case suggests that they do occur and should be considered in patients with severe osteopenia. Union of the fracture followed cessation of bisphosphonates and treatment with teriparatide. Thus, this case calls into question whether prophylactic intramedullary nailing is sufficient alone to treat early or completed atypical femoral fractures.