We evaluated the short-term functional outcome and prevalence
of bearing-specific generation of audible noise in 301 patients
(336 hips) operated on with fourth generation (Delta) medium diameter
head, ceramic-on-ceramic (CoC) total hip arthroplasties (THAs). There were 191 female (63%) and 110 male patients (37%) with
a mean age of 61 years (29 to 78) and mean follow-up of 2.1 years
(1.3 to 3.4). Patients completed three questionnaires: Oxford Hip
Score (OHS), Research and Development 36-item health survey (RAND-36)
and a noise-specific symptom questionnaire. Plain radiographs were also
analysed. A total of three hips (0.9%) were revised. Aims
Patients and Methods
Arthroplasty registries are important for the
surveillance of joint replacements and the evaluation of outcome. Independent
validation of registry data ensures high quality. The ability for
orthopaedic implant retrieval centres to validate registry data
is not known. We analysed data from the National Joint Registry
for England, Wales and Northern Ireland (NJR) for primary metal-on-metal
hip arthroplasties performed between 2003 and 2013. Records were
linked to the London Implant Retrieval Centre (RC) for validation.
A total of 67 045 procedures on the NJR and 782 revised pairs of
components from the RC were included. We were able to link 476 procedures
(60.9%) recorded with the RC to the NJR successfully. However, 306
procedures (39.1%) could not be linked. The outcome recorded by the
NJR (as either revised, unrevised or death) for a primary procedure
was incorrect in 79 linked cases (16.6%). The rate of registry-retrieval
linkage and correct assignment of outcome code improved over time.
The rates of error for component reference numbers on the NJR were
as follows: femoral head category number 14/229 (5.0%); femoral head
batch number 13/232 (5.3%); acetabular component category number
2/293 (0.7%) and acetabular component batch number 24/347 (6.5%). Registry-retrieval linkage provided a novel means for the validation
of data, particularly for component fields. This study suggests
that NJR reports may underestimate rates of revision for many types
of metal-on-metal hip replacement. This is topical given the increasing
scope for NJR data. We recommend a system for continuous independent
evaluation of the quality and validity of NJR data. Cite this article:
The August 2014 Hip &
Pelvis Roundup360 looks at: Serial MRIs best for pseudotumour surveillance; Is ultrasound good enough for MOM follow-up?; Does weight loss in obese patients help?; Measuring acetabular anteversion on plain films; Two-stage one-stage too many in fungal hip revisions? and 35 is the magic number in arthroplasty.
One method of femoral head preservation following avascular necrosis
(AVN) is core decompression and insertion of a tantalum rod. However,
there may be a high failure rate associated with this procedure.
The purpose of this study was to document the clinical and radiological
outcomes following total hip arthroplasty (THA) subsequent to failed
tantalum rod insertion. A total of 37 failed tantalum rods requiring total hip arthroplasty
were identified from a prospective database. There were 21 hips
in 21 patients (12 men and nine women, mean age 37 years, 18 to
53) meeting minimum two year clinical and radiographic follow-up
whose THAs were carried out between November 2002 and April 2013
(mean time between tantalum rod implantation and conversion to a
THA was 26 months, 6 to 72). These were matched by age and gender
to individuals (12 men, nine women, mean age 40 years, 18 to 58)
receiving THA for AVN without prior tantalum rod insertion.Aims
Patients and Methods
The October 2014 Hip &
Pelvis Roundup360 looks at: functional acetabular orientation; predicting re-admission following THR; metal ions and resurfacing; lipped liners increase stability; all anaesthetics equal in hip fracture surgery; revision hip surgery in very young patients; and uncemented hips.
Long-term clinical outcomes for ceramic-on-ceramic (CoC) bearings
are encouraging. However, there is a risk of squeaking. Guidelines
for the orientation of the acetabular component are defined from
static imaging, but the position of the pelvis and thus the acetabular
component during activities associated with edge-loading are likely
to be very different from those measured when the patient is supine.
We assessed the functional orientation of the acetabular component. A total of 18 patients with reproducible squeaking in their CoC
hips during deep flexion were investigated with a control group
of 36 non-squeaking CoC hips. The two groups were matched for the
type of implant, the orientation of the acetabular component when
supine, the size of the femoral head, ligament laxity, maximum hip
flexion and body mass index. Aims
Patients and Methods
The December 2013 Wrist &
Hand Roundup360 looks at: Scapholunate instability; three-ligament tenodesis; Pronator quadratus; Proximal row carpectomy; FPL dysfunction after volar plate fixation; Locating the thenar branch of the median nerve; Metallosis CMCJ arthroplasties; and timing of flap reconstruction
This study aimed to characterise and qualitatively grade the severity of the corrosion particles released into the hip joint following taper corrosion. The 26 cases examined were CoC/ABG Modular (n = 13) and ASR/SROM (n = 13). Blood serum metal ion levels were collected before and after revision surgery. The haematoxylin and eosin tissue sections were graded on the presence of fibrin exudates, necrosis, inflammatory cells and corrosion products. The corrosion products were identified based on visible observation and graded on abundance. Two independent observers blinded to the clinical patient findings scored all cases. Elemental analysis was performed on corrosion products within tissue sections. X-Ray diffraction was used to identify crystalline structures present in taper debris.Objectives
Methods
Surgeons have commonly used modular femoral heads and stems from
different manufacturers, although this is not recommended by orthopaedic
companies due to the different manufacturing processes. We compared the rate of corrosion and rate of wear at the trunnion/head
taper junction in two groups of retrieved hips; those with mixed
manufacturers (MM) and those from the same manufacturer (SM). We identified 151 retrieved hips with large-diameter cobalt-chromium
heads; 51 of two designs that had been paired with stems from different
manufacturers (MM) and 100 of seven designs paired with stems from
the same manufacturer (SM). We determined the severity of corrosion
with the Goldberg corrosion score and the volume of material loss
at the head/stem junction. We used multivariable statistical analysis
to determine if there was a significant difference between the two
groups. Aims
Materials and Methods
Hip resurfacing arthroplasty (HRA) is an alternative to conventional
total hip arthroplasty for patients with osteonecrosis (ON) of the
femoral head. Our aim was to report the long-term outcome of HRA,
which is not currently known. Long-term survivorship, clinical scores and radiographic results
for 82 patients (99 hips) treated with HRA for ON over a period
of 18 years were reviewed retrospectively. The mean age of the 67
men and 15 women at the time of surgery was 40.8 years (14 to 64).
Patients were resurfaced regardless of the size of the osteonecrotic
lesion.Aims
Patients and Methods
Joint replacement of the hip and knee remain
very satisfactory operations. They are, however, expensive. The
actual manufacturing of the implant represents only 30% of the final
cost, while sales and marketing represent 40%. Recently, the patents
on many well established and successful implants have expired. Companies
have started producing and distributing implants that purport to
replicate existing implants with good long-term results. The aims of this paper are to assess the legality, the monitoring
and cost saving implications of such generic implants. We also assess
how this might affect the traditional orthopaedic implant companies. Cite this article:
Since 1996 more than one million metal-on-metal
articulations have been implanted worldwide. Adverse reactions to
metal debris are escalating. Here we present an algorithmic approach
to patient management. The general approach to all arthroplasty
patients returning for follow-up begins with a detailed history,
querying for pain, discomfort or compromise of function. Symptomatic
patients should be evaluated for intra-articular and extra-articular
causes of pain. In large head MoM arthroplasty, aseptic loosening
may be the source of pain and is frequently difficult to diagnose.
Sepsis should be ruled out as a source of pain. Plain radiographs
are evaluated to rule out loosening and osteolysis, and assess component
position. Laboratory evaluation commences with erythrocyte sedimentation
rate and C-reactive protein, which may be elevated. Serum metal
ions should be assessed by an approved facility. Aspiration, with
manual cell count and culture/sensitivity should be performed, with
cloudy to creamy fluid with predominance of monocytes often indicative
of failure. Imaging should include ultrasound or metal artifact
reduction sequence MRI, specifically evaluating for fluid collections
and/or masses about the hip. If adverse reaction to metal debris
is suspected then revision to metal or ceramic-on-polyethylene is indicated
and can be successful. Delay may be associated with extensive soft-tissue
damage and hence poor clinical outcome.
Pathological assessment of periprosthetic tissues is important, not only for diagnosis, but also for understanding the pathobiology of implant failure. The host response to wear particle deposition in periprosthetic tissues is characterised by cell and tissue injury, and a reparative and inflammatory response in which there is an innate and adaptive immune response to the material components of implant wear. Physical and chemical characteristics of implant wear influence the nature of the response in periprosthetic tissues and account for the development of particular complications that lead to implant failure, such as osteolysis which leads to aseptic loosening, and soft-tissue necrosis/inflammation, which can result in pseudotumour formation. The innate response involves phagocytosis of implant-derived wear particles by macrophages; this is determined by pattern recognition receptors and results in expression of cytokines, chemokines and growth factors promoting inflammation and osteoclastogenesis; phagocytosed particles can also be cytotoxic and cause cell and tissue necrosis. The adaptive immune response to wear debris is characterised by the presence of lymphoid cells and most likely occurs as a result of a cell-mediated hypersensitivity reaction to cell and tissue components altered by interaction with the material components of particulate wear, particularly metal ions released from cobalt-chrome wear particles. Cite this article: Professor N. A. Athanasou. The pathobiology and pathology of aseptic implant failure.
This study reports the mid-term results of a large-bearing hybrid metal-on-metal total hip replacement in 199 hips (185 patients) with a mean follow-up of 62 months (32 to 83). Two patients died of unrelated causes and 13 were lost to follow-up. In all, 17 hips (8.5%) have undergone revision, and a further 14 are awaiting surgery. All revisions were symptomatic. Of the revision cases, 14 hips showed evidence of adverse reactions to metal debris. The patients revised or awaiting revision had significantly higher whole blood cobalt ion levels (p = 0.001), but no significant difference in acetabular component size or position compared with the unrevised patients. Wear analysis (n = 5) showed increased wear at the trunnion-head interface, normal levels of wear at the articulating surfaces and evidence of corrosion on the surface of the stem. The cumulative survival rate, with revision for any reason, was 92.4% (95% confidence interval 87.4 to 95.4) at five years. Including those awaiting surgery, the revision rate would be 15.1% with a cumulative survival at five years of 89.6% (95% confidence interval 83.9 to 93.4). This hybrid metal-on-metal total hip replacement series has shown an unacceptably high rate of failure, with evidence of high wear at the trunnion-head interface and passive corrosion of the stem surface. This raises concerns about the use of large heads on conventional 12/14 tapers.
