This study analysed the clinical and radiological outcome of
anatomical reduction of a moderate or severe stable slipped capital
femoral epiphysis (SCFE) treated by subcapital osteotomy (a modified
Dunn osteotomy) through the surgical approach described by Ganz. We prospectively studied 31 patients (32 hips; 16 females and
five males; mean age 14.3 years) with SCFE. On the Southwick classification,
ten were of moderate severity (head-shaft angle >
30° to 60°) and
22 were severe (head-shaft angle >
60°). Each underwent open reduction
and internal fixation using an intracapsular osteotomy through the
physeal growth plate after safe surgical hip dislocation. Unlike
the conventional procedure, 25 hips did not need an osteotomy of
the apophysis of the great trochanter and were managed using an
extended retinacular posterior flap. Aims
Patients and Methods
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
There is a high risk of the development of avascular
necrosis of the femoral head and nonunion after the treatment of
displaced subcapital fractures of the femoral neck in patients aged
<
50 years. We retrospectively analysed the results following
fixation with two cannulated compression screws and a vascularised
iliac bone graft. We treated 18 women and 16 men with a mean age
of 38.5 years (20 to 50) whose treatment included the use of an
iliac bone graft based on the ascending branch of lateral femoral
circumflex artery. There were 20 Garden grade III and 14 grade IV
fractures. Clinical and radiological outcomes were evaluated. The
mean follow-up was 5.4 years (2 to 10). In 30 hips (88%) union was
achieved at a mean of 4.4 months (4 to 6). Nonunion occurred in
four hips (12%) and these patients had a mean age of 46.5 years
(42 to 50) and underwent revision to a hip replacement six months
after operation. The time to union was dependent on age with younger
patients achieving earlier union (p <
0.001). According to the
Harris hip score which was available for 27 of the 30 hips with
satisfactory union, excellent results were obtained in 15 (score ≥ 90
points), fair in ten (score 80 to 90 points), and poor in two hips
(≤ 80 points). One patient aged 48 years developed avascular necrosis
of femoral head six years after operation and underwent total hip
replacement. The management of displaced subcapital fractures of the femoral
neck, in patients aged <
50 years, with two cannulated compression
screws and an iliac bone graft based on the ascending branch of
lateral femoral circumflex artery, gives satisfactory results with
a low rate of complication including avascular necrosis and nonunion. Cite this article:
In a randomised trial involving 598 patients
with 600 trochanteric fractures of the hip, the fractures were treated with
either a sliding hip screw (n = 300) or a Targon PF intramedullary
nail (n = 300). The mean age of the patients was 82 years (26 to
104). All surviving patients were reviewed at one year with functional
outcome assessed by a research nurse blinded to the treatment used.
The intramedullary nail was found to have a slightly increased mean
operative time (46 minutes ( In summary, both implants produced comparable results but there
was a tendency to better return of mobility for those treated with
the intramedullary nail.
The August 2014 Children’s orthopaedics Roundup360 looks at: Conservative treatment still OK in paediatric clavicular fractures; Femoral anteversion not the usual suspect in patellar inversion; Shoulder dislocation best treated with an operation; Perthes’ disease results in poorer quality of adult life; Physiotherapy little benefit in supracondylar fractures; Congenital vertical talus addressed at the midtarsal joint; Single-sitting DDH surgery worth the effort; and cubitus valgus associated with simple elbow dislocation
The aim of this study was to evaluate the functional
and oncological outcome of extracorporeally irradiated autografts
used to reconstruct the pelvis after a P1/2 internal hemipelvectomy. The study included 18 patients with a primary malignant bone
tumour of the pelvis. There were 13 males and five females with
a mean age of 24.8 years (8 to 62). Of these, seven had an osteogenic
sarcoma, six a Ewing’s sarcoma, and five a chondrosarcoma. At a
mean follow-up of 51.6 months (4 to 185), nine patients had died
with metastatic disease while nine were free from disease. Local
recurrence occurred in three patients all of whom eventually died of
their disease. Deep infection occurred in three patients and required
removal of their graft in two while the third underwent a hindquarter
amputation for extensive flap necrosis. The mean Musculoskeletal Tumor Society functional score of the
16 patients who could be followed-up for at least 12 months was
77% (50 to 90). Those 15 patients who completed the Toronto Extremity
Salvage Score questionnaire had a mean score of 71% (53 to 85). Extracorporeal irradiation and re-implantation of bone is a valid
method of reconstruction after an internal hemipelvectomy. It has
an acceptable morbidity and a functional outcome that compares favourably
with other available reconstructive techniques. Cite this article:
Metal-on-metal (MoM) hip resurfacing was developed in the 1990s by surgeons in Birmingham, UK, as a surgical solution to the problem of osteoarthritis in younger, more active patients. Early results were promising and the procedure gained in popularity. However, adverse reports of soft-tissue reaction and failure started to appear from 2008 onwards. Surgeons may be asked to write medico-legal reports on the surgical aspects of an individual case for claimant lawyers or in defence for the NHSLA or indemnity insurers. The purpose of this article is to cover some of the aspects of the operation that may be considered in such medico-legal reports.
Malpositioning of the trochanteric entry point
during the introduction of an intramedullary nail may cause iatrogenic
fracture or malreduction. Although the optimal point of insertion
in the coronal plane has been well described, positioning in the
sagittal plane is poorly defined. The paired femora from 374 cadavers were placed both in the anatomical
position and in internal rotation to neutralise femoral anteversion.
A marker was placed at the apparent apex of the greater trochanter,
and the lateral and anterior offsets from the axis of the femoral
shaft were measured on anteroposterior and lateral photographs. Greater
trochanteric morphology and trochanteric overhang were graded. The mean anterior offset of the apex of the trochanter relative
to the axis of the femoral shaft was 5.1 mm ( Placement of the entry position at the apex of the greater trochanter
in the anteroposterior view does not reliably centre an intramedullary
nail in the sagittal plane. Based on our findings, the site of insertion
should be about 5 mm posterior to the apex of the trochanter to
allow for its anterior offset. Cite this article:
This preliminary study evaluates a combination
of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-7 and non-vascularised autologous
fibular grafting (AFG) for the treatment of osteonecrosis of the
femoral head. BMP-7/AFG combination was applied in seven pre-collapse femoral
heads (five Steinberg stage II, two stage III) in six patients.
Pre- and post-operative evaluation included clinical (Harris hip
score (HHS), visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain) and radiological
assessment (radiographs, quantitative CT) at a mean follow-up of
4 years (2 to 5.5). A marked improvement of function (mean HHS increase of 49.2)
and decrease of pain level (mean VAS decrease of 5) as well as retention
of the sphericity of the femoral head was noted in five hips at
the latest follow-up, while signs of consolidation were apparent
from the third post-operative month. One patient (two hips) required
bilateral total hip replacement at one year post-operatively. In
the series as a whole, quantitative-CT evaluation revealed similar densities
between affected and normal bone. Heterotopic ossification was observed
in four hips, without compromise of the clinical outcome. In this limited series AFG/BMP-7 combination proved a safe and
effective method for the treatment of femoral head osteonecrosis,
leading to early consolidation of the AFG and preventing collapse
in five of seven hips, while the operative time and post-operative
rehabilitation period were much shorter compared with free vascularised fibular
grafts. Cite this article:
We undertook a retrospective cohort study to
determine clinical outcomes following the revision of metal-on-metal (MoM)
hip replacements for adverse reaction to metal debris (ARMD), and
to identify predictors of time to revision and outcomes following
revision. Between 1998 and 2012 a total of 64 MoM hips (mean age
at revision of 57.8 years; 46 (72%) female; 46 (72%) hip resurfacings
and 18 (28%) total hip replacements) were revised for ARMD at one specialist
centre. At a mean follow-up of 4.5 years (1.0 to 14.6) from revision
for ARMD there were 13 hips (20.3%) with post-operative complications
and eight (12.5%) requiring re-revision. The Kaplan–Meier five-year survival rate for ARMD revision was
87.9% (95% confidence interval 78.9 to 98.0; 19 hips at risk). Excluding
re-revisions, the median absolute Oxford hip score (OHS) following
ARMD revision using the percentage method (0% best outcome and 100%
worst outcome) was 18.8% (interquartile range (IQR) 7.8% to 48.3%),
which is equivalent to 39/48 (IQR 24.8/48 to 44.3/48) when using
the modified OHS. Histopathological response did not affect time
to revision for ARMD (p = 0.334) or the subsequent risk of re-revision
(p = 0.879). Similarly, the presence or absence of a contralateral
MoM hip bearing did not affect time to revision for ARMD (p = 0.066)
or the subsequent risk of re-revision (p = 0.178). Patients revised to MoM bearings had higher rates of re-revision
(five of 16 MoM hips re-revised; p = 0.046), but those not requiring
re-revision had good functional results (median absolute OHS 14.6%
or 41.0/48). Short-term morbidity following revision for ARMD was
comparable with previous reports. Caution should be exercised when choosing
bearing surfaces for ARMD revisions. Cite this article:
Total hip replacement in patients with Gaucher’s disease with symptomatic osteonecrosis of the femoral head is controversial because of the high early failure rates. We describe four patients who had an uncemented total hip replacement following enzyme replacement therapy for a median of two years and one month (1 to 9.8 years) prior to surgery, and who remained on treatment. At operation, the bone had a normal appearance and consistency. Histopathological examination showed that, compared with previous biopsies of untreated Gaucher’s disease, the Gaucher cell infiltrate had decreased progressively with therapy, being replaced by normal adipose tissue. The surfaces of viable bone beyond the osteonecrotic areas showed osteoblasts, indicating remodelling. In one case acetabular revision was carried out after 11 years and eight months. The three remaining patients had a mean follow-up of six years and four months (3.3 to 12 years). We recommend initiating enzyme replacement therapy at least one to two years prior to total hip replacement to facilitate bone remodelling and to allow implantation of uncemented components in these young patients.
We describe a technique of ‘cross-hip distraction’ to reduce a dislocated hip with subsequent reconstruction of the joint for septic arthritis with extensive femoral osteomyelitis. A 27-year-old woman presented with a dislocated, collapsed femoral head and chronic osteomyelitis of the femur. Examination revealed a leg-length discrepancy of 7 cm and an irritable hip. A staged technique was used with primary clearance of osteomyelitis and secondary reconstruction of the hip. A cross-hip monolateral external fixator was used to establish normal anatomy followed by an arthroplasty. A good functional outcome was achieved. The use of cross-hip distraction avoids soft-tissue and nerve damage and achieved improved abductor function before arthroplasty.
Second-generation metal-on-metal bearings were introduced as a response to the considerable incidence of wear-induced failures associated with conventional replacements, especially in young patients. We present the results at ten years of a consecutive series of patients treated using a metal-on-metal hip resurfacing. A distinct feature of the bearings used in our series was that they had been subjected to double-heat treatments during the post-casting phase of their manufacture. In the past these bearings had not been subjected to thermal treatments, making this a unique metal-on-metal bearing which had not been used before in clinical practice. We report the outcome of 184 consecutive hips (160 patients) treated using a hybrid-fixed metal-on-metal hip resurfacing during 1996. Patients were invited for a clinicoradiological follow-up at a minimum of ten years. The Oxford hip score and anteroposterior and lateral radiographs were obtained. The mean age at operation was 54 years (21 to 75). A series of 107 consecutive hips (99 patients) who received the same prosthesis, but subjected to a single thermal treatment after being cast, between March 1994 and December 1995, were used as a control group for comparison. In the 1994 to 1995 group seven patients (seven hips) died from unrelated causes and there were four revisions (4%) for osteolysis and aseptic loosening. In the 1996 group nine patients died at a mean of 6.9 years after operation because of unrelated causes. There were 30 revisions (16%) at a mean of 7.3 years (1.2 to 10.9), one for infection at 1.2 years and 29 for osteolysis and aseptic loosening. Furthermore, in the latter group there were radiological signs of failure in 27 (24%) of the 111 surviving hips. The magnitude of the problem of osteolysis and aseptic loosening in the 1996 cohort did not become obvious until five years after the operation. Our results indicate that double-heat treatments of metal-on-metal bearings can lead to an increased incidence of wear-induced osteolysis.
We evaluated the outcome of 41 consecutive Charnley
low-friction arthroplasties (LFAs) performed by a single surgeon
in 28 patients aged ≤ 35 years at operation between 23 and 36 years
previously. There were 20 women and eight men with a mean age of
32 years (23 to 35) at surgery. Two patients (three hips) were lost
to follow-up at 12 and 17 years post-operatively, respectively,
and one patient (one hip) died at 13 years post-operatively. These patients
were excluded from the final evaluation. The survival rate of the
acetabular components was 92.7% (95% confidence interval (CI) 88.7
to 96.7) at ten years, 67.1% (95% CI 59.75 to 74.45) at 20 years
and 53.2% (95% CI 45.3 to 61.1) at 25 years. For the femoral component
the survival was 95.1% (95% CI 91.8 to 98.5) at ten years, 77.1%
(95% CI 73.9 to 80.3) at 20 years and 68.2% (95% CI 60.7 to 75.8)
at 25 years. The results indicate that the Charnley LFA remains
a reasonable choice in the treatment of young patients and can serve
for comparison with newer techniques and implants. Cite this article:
We report the long-term survival and functional
outcome of the Birmingham Hip Resurfacing (BHR) in patients aged <
50 years at operation, and explore the factors affecting survival.
Between 1997 and 2006, a total of 447 BHRs were implanted in 393
patients (mean age 41.5 years (14.9 to 49.9)) by one designing surgeon.
The mean follow-up was 10.1 years (5.2 to 14.7), with no loss to
follow-up. In all, 16 hips (3.6%) in 15 patients were revised, giving
an overall cumulative survival of 96.3% (95% confidence interval
(CI) 93.7 to 98.3) at ten years and 94.1% (95% CI 84.9 to 97.3)
at 14 years. Using aseptic revision as the endpoint, the survival
for men with primary osteoarthritis (n = 195) was 100% (95% CI 100
to 100) at both ten years and 14 years, and in women with primary
osteoarthritis (n = 109) it was 96.1% (95% CI 90.1 to 99.9) at ten
years and 91.2% (95% CI 68.6 to 98.7) at 14 years. Female gender
(p = 0.047) and decreasing femoral head size (p = 0.044) were significantly
associated with an increased risk of revision. The median Oxford
hip score (OHS, modified as a percentage with 100% indicating worst
outcome) at last follow-up was 4.2% (46 of 48; interquartile range
(IQR) 0% to 24%) and the median University of California, Los Angeles
(UCLA) score was 6.0 (IQR 5 to 8). Men had significantly better
OHS (p = 0.02) and UCLA scores (p = 0.01) than women. The BHR provides
excellent survival and functional results in men into the second
decade, with good results achieved in appropriately selected women. Cite this article:
A number of studies have reported satisfactory
results from the isolated revision of an acetabular component. However,
many of these studies reported only the short- to intermediate-term
results of heterogeneous bearing surfaces in a mixed age group. We present our experience of using a ceramic-on-ceramic (CoC)
bearing for isolated revision of an uncemented acetabular component
in 166 patients (187 hips) who were under the age of 50 years at
the time of revision. There were 78 men and 88 women with a mean
age of 47.4 years (28 to 49). The most common reason for revision
was polyethylene wear and acetabular osteolysis in 123 hips (66%),
followed by aseptic loosening in 49 hips (26%). We report the clinical and radiological outcome, complication
rate, and survivorship of this group. The mean duration of follow-up
was 15.6 years (11 to 19). The mean pre-operative Harris hip score was 33 points (1 to 58),
and improved to a mean of 88 points (51 to 100) at follow-up. The
mean pre-operative total Western Ontario and McMaster Universities
Osteoarthritis Index score was 63.2 (43 to 91) and improved to 19.8
points (9 to 61) post-operatively. Overall, 153 of 166 patients
(92%) were satisfied with their outcome. Kaplan–Meier survivorship
analysis, with revision or radiological evidence of implant failure
(13 patients, 8%) as end-points, was 92% at 15 years (95% confidence
interval 0.89 to 0.97). Isolated revision of a cementless acetabular component using
a CoC bearing gives good results in patients under 50 years of age. Cite this article:
We treated 15 hips (15 patients) with developmental dysplasia by a single-stage combination of open reduction through a medial approach and innominate osteotomy. The mean age of the patients at the time of operation was 20 months (13 to 30). The mean follow-up period was 9.6 years (4 to 14). At the final follow-up, 14 hips were assessed clinically as excellent and one hip as good. Radiologically, ten hips were rated as class I, four as class II and one as class III according to the criteria of Severin. No avascular necrosis was seen. No patient required subsequent surgery. Our results indicate that satisfactory results can be obtained with the single-stage combination of open reduction by the medial approach and innominate osteotomy for developmental dysplasia of the hip in a selected group of children older than 12 months. To our knowledge, no similar combined technique has been previously reported.
We determined the effect of the surgical approach on perfusion of the femoral head during hip resurfacing arthroplasty by measuring the concentration of cefuroxime in bone samples from the femoral head. A total of 20 operations were performed through either a transgluteal or an extended posterolateral approach. The concentration of cefuroxime in bone was significantly greater when using the transgluteal approach (mean 15.7 mg/kg; 95% confidence interval 12.3 to 19.1) compared with that using the posterolateral approach (mean 5.6 mg/kg; 95% confidence interval 3.5 to 7.8; p <
0.001). In one patient, who had the operation through a posterolateral approach, cefuroxime was undetectable. Using cefuroxime as an indirect measure of blood flow, the posterolateral approach was found to be associated with a significant reduction in the blood supply to the femoral head during resurfacing arthroplasty compared with the transgluteal approach.