Surgeons remain concerned that ceramic hip prostheses may fail catastrophically if either the head or the liner is fractured. We report two patients, each with a ceramic-on-ceramic total hip replacement who sustained high-energy trauma sufficient to cause a displaced periprosthetic acetabular fracture in whom the ceramic bearings survived intact. Simultaneous fixation of the acetabular fracture, revision of the cementless acetabular prosthesis and exchange of the ceramic bearings were performed successfully in both patients. Improved methods of manufacture of new types of alumina ceramic with a smaller grain size, and lower porosity, have produced much stronger bearings. Whether patients should be advised to restrict high-impact activities in order to protect these modern ceramic bearings from fracture remains controversial

Aims

In computer simulations, the shape of the range of motion (ROM) of a stem with a cylindrical neck design will be a perfect cone. However, many modern stems have rectangular/oval-shaped necks. We hypothesized that the rectangular/oval stem neck will affect the shape of the ROM and the prosthetic impingement.

We report the results of 62 hips in 62 patients (17 males, 45 females) with mean age of 62.4 years (37 to 81), who underwent revision of the acetabular component of a total hip replacement due to aseptic loosening between May 2003 and November 2007. All hips had a Paprosky type IIIa acetabular defect. Acetabular revision was undertaken using a Procotyl E cementless oblong implant with modular side plates and a hook combined with impaction allografting. . At a mean follow-up of 60.5 months (36 to 94) with no patients lost to follow-up and one died due to unrelated illness, the complication rate was 38.7%. Complications included aseptic loosening (19 hips), deep infection (3 hips), broken hook and side plate (one hip) and a femoral nerve palsy (one hip). Further revision of the acetabular component was required in 18 hips (29.0%) and a further four hips (6.4%) are currently loose and awaiting revision. . We observed unacceptably high rates of complication and failure in our group of patients and cannot recommend this implant or technique

A clinical and radiological study was conducted on 97 total hip replacements performed for congenital hip dislocation in 79 patients between 1989 and 1998 using a three-dimensional custom-made cementless stem. The mean age at operation was 48 years (17 to 72) and the mean follow-up was for 123 months (83 to 182). According to the Crowe classification, there were 37 class I, 28 class II, 13 class III and 19 class IV hips. The mean leg lengthening was 25 mm (5 to 58), the mean pre-operative femoral anteversion was 38.6° (2° to 86°) and the mean correction in the prosthetic neck was −23.6° (−71° to 13°). The mean Harris hip score improved from 58 (15 to 84) to 93 (40 to 100) points. A revision was required in six hips (6.2%). The overall survival rate was 89.5% (95% confidence interval 89.2 to 89.8) at 13 years when two hips were at risk. This custom-made cementless femoral component, which can be accommodated in the abnormal proximal femur and will correct the anteversion and frontal offset, provided good results without recourse to proximal femoral corrective osteotomy

Aims

There are concerns regarding initial stability and early periprosthetic fractures in cementless hip arthroplasty using short stems. This study aimed to investigate stress on the cortical bone around the stem and micromotions between the stem and cortical bone according to femoral stem length and positioning.

We have evaluated the difference in the migration patterns over two years of two cementless stems in a randomised, controlled trial using radiostereophotogrammetric analysis (RSA). The implants studied were the Furlong HAC stem, which has good long-term results and the Furlong Active stem, which is a modified version of the former designed to minimise stress concentrations between the implant and bone, and thus to improve fixation. A total of 23 Furlong HAC and 20 Furlong Active stems were implanted in 43 patients. RSA examinations were carried out immediately post-operatively and at six, 12 and 24 months post-operatively. The subsidence during the first year in the Furlong HAC stem, was approximately one-third that of the Furlong Active stem, the measured mean subsidence of the femoral head at six months being 0.27 mm (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.03 to 0.51) and 0.99 mm (95% CI 0.38 to 1.60), respectively (p = 0.03). One Active stem continued to subside during the second year. All hips, regardless of the type of stem were clinically successful as judged by the Oxford hip score and a derived pain score without any distinction between the two types of stem. The initial stability of the Furlong Active stem was not as good as the established stem which might compromise osseo-integration to the detriment of long-term success. The changes in the geometry of the stem, to minimise stress have affected the attainment of initial stability

We studied 11 patients (14 elbows) with gross rheumatoid deformity of the elbow, treated by total arthroplasty using the Kudo type-5 unlinked prosthesis, and who were evaluated between five and 11 years after operation. Massive bone defects were augmented by autogenous bone grafts. There were no major complications such as infection, subluxation or loosening. In most elbows relief from pain and stability were achieved. The results, according to the Mayo Elbow Performance Score, were excellent in eight, good in five and fair in one. In most elbows there was minimal or no resorption of the grafted bone. There were no radiolucent lines around the stems of the cementless components. This study shows that even highly unstable rheumatoid elbows can be replaced successfully using an unlinked prosthesis, with augmentation by grafting for major defects of bone

We studied 33 third generation, alumina ceramic-on-ceramic bearings retrieved from cementless total hip replacements after more than six months in situ. Wear volume was measured with a Roundtest machine, and acetabular orientation from the anteroposterior pelvic radiograph. The overall median early wear rate was 0.1 mm. 3. /yr for the femoral heads, and 0.04 mm. 3. /yr for the acetabular liners. We then excluded hips where the components had migrated. In this stable subgroup of 22 bearings, those with an acetabular anteversion of < 15° (seven femoral heads) had a median femoral head wear rate of 1.2 mm. 3. /yr, compared with 0 mm. 3. /yr for those with an anteversion of ≥15° (15 femoral heads, p < 0.001). Even under edge loading, wear volumes with ceramic-on-ceramic bearings are small in comparison to other bearing materials. Low acetabular anteversion is associated with greater wear

Aims

Pelvic tilt (PT) can significantly change the functional orientation of the acetabular component and may differ markedly between patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA). Patients with stiff spines who have little change in PT are considered at high risk for instability following THA. Femoral component position also contributes to the limits of impingement-free range of motion (ROM), but has been less studied. Little is known about the impact of combined anteversion on risk of impingement with changing pelvic position.

Aims

The aims of this systematic review were to assess the learning curve of semi-active robotic arm-assisted total hip arthroplasty (rTHA), and to compare the accuracy, patient-reported functional outcomes, complications, and survivorship between rTHA and manual total hip arthroplasty (mTHA).

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We studied the outcomes of hip and knee arthroplasties in a high-volume arthroplasty centre to determine if patients with morbid obesity (BMI ≥ 40 kg/m²) had unacceptably worse outcomes as compared to those with BMI < 40 kg/m².

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This study evaluates risk factors influencing fracture characteristics for postoperative periprosthetic femoral fractures (PFFs) around cemented stems in total hip arthroplasty.

Aims

“Get It Right First Time” (GIRFT) and NHS England’s Best Practice Tariff (BPT) have published directives advising that patients over the ages of 65 (GIRFT) and 69 years (BPT) receiving total hip arthroplasty (THA) should receive cemented implants and have brought in financial penalties if this policy is not observed. Despite this, worldwide, uncemented component use has increased, a situation described as a ‘paradox’. GIRFT and BPT do, however, acknowledge more data are required to support this edict with current policies based on the National Joint Registry survivorship and implant costs.

When performing total hip replacement (THR) in high dislocated hips, the presence of soft-tissue contractures means that most surgeons prefer to use a femoral shortening osteotomy in order to avoid the risk of neurovascular damage. However, this technique will sacrifice femoral length and reduce the extent of any leg-length equalisation. We report our experience of 74 THRs performed between 2000 and 2008 in 65 patients with a high dislocated hip without a femoral shortening osteotomy. The mean age of the patients was 55 years (46 to 72) and the mean follow-up was 42 months (12 to 78). All implants were cementless except for one resurfacing hip implant. We attempted to place the acetabular component in the anatomical position in each hip. The mean Harris hip score improved from 53 points (34 to 74) pre-operatively to 86 points (78 to 95) at final follow-up. The mean radiologically determined leg lengthening was 42 mm (30 to 66), and the mean leg-length discrepancy decreased from 36 mm (5 to 56) pre-operatively to 8.5 mm (0 to 18) postoperatively. Although there were four (5%) post-operative femoral nerve palsies, three had fully resolved by six months after the operation. No loosening of the implant was observed, and no dislocations or infections were encountered. Total hip replacement without a femoral shortening osteotomy proved to be a safe and effective surgical treatment for high dislocated hips

Peri-prosthetic bone loss caused by stress shielding may be associated with aseptic loosening of femoral components. In order to increase primary stability and to reduce stress shielding, a three-dimensional, cementless individual femoral (Evolution K) component was manufactured using pre-operative CT scans. Using dual energy x-ray absorptiometry, peri-prosthetic bone density was measured in 43 patients, three months, six months, 3.6 and 4.6 years after surgery. At final follow-up there was a significant reduction in mean bone density in the proximal Gruen zones of −30.3% (zone 7) and −22.8% (zone 1). The density in the other zones declined by a mean of between −4% and −16%. We conclude that the manufacture of a three-dimensional, custom-made femoral component could not prevent a reduction in peri-prosthetic bone density

Aims

We aimed to investigate if the use of the largest possible cobalt-chromium head articulating with polyethylene acetabular inserts would increase the in vivo wear rate in total hip arthroplasty.

We carried out a clinical and radiological review of 103 cementless primary hip arthroplasties with a tapered rectangular grit-blasted titanium press-fit femoral component and a threaded conical titanium acetabular component at a mean follow-up of 14.4 years (10.2 to 17.1). The mean Harris hip score at the last follow-up was 89.2 (32 to 100). No early loosening and no fracture of the implant were found. One patient needed revision surgery because of a late deep infection. In 11 hips (10.7%), the reason for revision was progressive wear of the polyethylene liner. Exchange of the acetabular component because of aseptic loosening without detectable liner wear was carried out in three hips (2.9%). After 15 years the survivorship with aseptic loosening as the definition for failure was 95.6% for the acetabular component and 100% for the femoral component

We have reviewed the rate of revision of fully cemented, hybrid and uncemented primary total hip replacements (THRs) registered in the New Zealand Joint Registry between 1999 and December 2006 to determine whether there was any statistically significant difference in the early survival and reason for revision in these different types of fixation. The percentage rate of revision was calculated per 100 component years and compared with the reason for revision, the type of fixation and the age of the patients. Of the 42 665 primary THRs registered, 920 (2.16%) underwent revision requiring change of at least one component. Fully-cemented THRs had a lower rate of revision when considering all causes for failure (p < 0.001), but below the age of 65 years uncemented THRs had a lower rate (p < 0.01). The rate of revision of the acetabular component for aseptic loosening was less in the uncemented and hybrid groups compared with that in the fully cemented group (p < 0.001), and the rate of revision of cemented and uncemented femoral components was similar, except in patients over 75 years of age in whom revision of cemented femoral components was significantly less frequent (p < 0.02). Revision for infection was more common in patients aged below 65 years and in cemented and hybrid THRs compared with cementless THRs (p < 0.001). Dislocation was the most common cause of revision for all types of fixation and was more frequent in both uncemented acetabular groups (p < 0.001). The experience of the surgeon did not affect the findings. Although cemented THR had the lowest rate of revision for all causes in the short term (90 days), uncemented THR had the lowest rate of aseptic loosening in patients under 65 years of age and had rates comparable with international rates of aseptic loosening in those over 65 years

Aims

In total knee arthroplasty (TKA), blood loss continues internally after surgery is complete. Typically, the total loss over 48 postoperative hours can be around 1,300 ml, with most occurring within the first 24 hours. We hypothesize that the full potential of tranexamic acid (TXA) to decrease TKA blood loss has not yet been harnessed because it is rarely used beyond the intraoperative period, and is usually withheld from ‘high-risk’ patients with a history of thromboembolic, cardiovascular, or cerebrovascular disease, a patient group who would benefit greatly from a reduced blood loss.