Research into the treatment of Femoro-Acetabular Impingement (FAI) has focussed on surgical correction of structural abnormalities and tended to overlook the dynamic process of impingement. The role of Physiotherapy in addressing abnormal hip movement and any resulting effect on the symptoms of FAI remains untested. A pilot study was therefore instigated to evaluate the effect of physiotherapy on pain and function in patients with FAI.

30 adults aged between 18 and 50 years with a diagnosis of symptomatic FAI were recruited. 23 (77%) completed the study.

Intervention was 3 months of specialist physiotherapy focused on improving pelvic and proximal femoral control. The control group received routine care.

All functional outcomes improved in the Physiotherapy group and this included improvement beyond minimal clinically important difference and measurement error on the Hip Outcome Score.

There was marginal improvement in pain in both groups

Results suggest that physiotherapy treatment can improve function in adults with symptomatic FAI. Larger studies are needed to evaluate the role of conservative management in FAI.

When Radiolucent lines (RLL) are observed around cemented acetabular components, they may progress and be associated with loosening.

We reviewed the incidence and progression of RLLs around the Exeter Contemporary flanged acetabular component and compared our results with other published series.

We reviewed a consecutive series of 203 sockets with a minimum 10-year follow-up. Up to date radiographs were reviewed by 2 independent assessors for the presence, location and thickness of RLL and an assessment for loosening/migration was made. Initial post-operative radiographs were examined for any case with RLLs at review.

There were no revisions for aseptic loosening. 103 hips remained in situ with a minimum follow up of 10 years. Lucent lines were seen on 37/103 (36%) of hips with a mean follow up of 12.1 years (10.0–13.9 years). In these 37 hips, the lucency was present in one zone in 84%, two zones in 8% and all three zones in 8%.

Of the 37 hips with a RLL at minimum 10 years follow up, five exhibited a RLL immediately post-operatively. All 5 of these lines were initially isolated to zone 1 and progressed over the 10 years around at least 1 more zone. Only one line became circumferential, although the cup did not migrate.

Compared to previous papers (DeLee & Charnley, Hodgkinson and Garcia-Cimbrelo) the presence of RLL at 10 years is reduced in our series (table 2) and no cup migrated. All RLL seen in cups at both 10 years and immediate post-operatively in our series progressed (table 3), unlike in the previous studies. This reduction in lucent lines may be down to modern cementing techniques, cup design or a combination of both.

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Aims

We report on the outcome of the Exeter Contemporary flanged cemented all-polyethylene acetabular component with a mean follow-up of 12 years (10 to 13.9). This study reviewed 203 hips in 194 patients. 129 hips in 122 patients are still in situ; 66 hips in 64 patients were in patients who died before ten years, and eight hips (eight patients) were revised. Clinical outcome scores were available for 108 hips (104 patients) and radiographs for 103 hips (100 patients).

Introduction

We report on the outcome of a cemented flanged acetabular component at a minimum of 10 years post-operatively.