Total hip arthroplasty (THA) in patients with post-polio residual paralysis (PPRP) is challenging. Despite relief in pain after THA, pre-existing muscle imbalance and altered gait may cause persistence of difficulty in walking. The associated soft tissue contractures not only imbalances the pelvis, but also poses the risk of dislocation, accelerated polyethylene liner wear, and early loosening. In all, ten hips in ten patients with PPRP with fixed pelvic obliquity who underwent THA as per an algorithmic approach in two centres from January 2014 to March 2018 were followed-up for a minimum of two years (2 to 6). All patients required one or more additional soft tissue procedures in a pre-determined sequence to correct the pelvic obliquity. All were invited for the latest clinical and radiological assessment.Aims
Methods
When the present study was initiated, we changed the treatment for late-detected developmental dislocation of the hip (DDH) from several weeks of skin traction to markedly shorter traction time. The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate this change, with special emphasis on the rate of stable closed reduction according to patient age, the development of the acetabulum, and the outcome at skeletal maturity. From 1996 to 2005, 49 children (52 hips) were treated for late-detected DDH. Their mean age was 13.3 months (3 to 33) at reduction. Prereduction skin traction was used for a mean of 11 days (0 to 27). Gentle closed reduction under general anaesthesia was attempted in all the hips. Concurrent pelvic osteotomy was not performed. The hips were evaluated at one, three and five years after reduction, at age eight to ten years, and at skeletal maturity. Mean age at the last follow-up was 15.7 years (13 to 21).Aims
Methods
It may not be possible to undertake revision total hip arthroplasty
(THA) in the presence of massive loss of acetabular bone stock using
standard cementless hemispherical acetabular components and metal
augments, as satisfactory stability cannot always be achieved. We
aimed to study the outcome using a reconstruction cage and a porous
metal augment in these patients. A total of 22 acetabular revisions in 19 patients were performed
using a combination of a reconstruction cage and porous metal augments.
The augments were used in place of structural allografts. The mean
age of the patients at the time of surgery was 70 years (27 to 85)
and the mean follow-up was 39 months (27 to 58). The mean number
of previous THAs was 1.9 (1 to 3). All patients had segmental defects
involving more than 50% of the acetabulum and seven hips had an
associated pelvic discontinuity. Aims
Patients and Methods
Until now, there has been no consensus as to whether stemmed
acetabular components are appropriate for use in patients undergoing
revision total hip arthroplasty (THA) who have major acetabular
defects or pelvic discontinuity. We wished to address this deficiency
in the literature. We carried out a retrospective study of 35 patients (six men
and 29 women) with a mean age of 68 years (37 to 87), with major
acetabular defects who underwent revision THA between 2000 and 2012.Aim
Patients and Methods
The ‘jumbo’ acetabular component is now commonly
used in acetabular revision surgery where there is extensive bone
loss. It offers high surface contact, permits weight bearing over
a large area of the pelvis, the need for bone grafting is reduced
and it is usually possible to restore centre of rotation of the
hip. Disadvantages of its use include a technique in which bone
structure may not be restored, a risk of excessive posterior bone
loss during reaming, an obligation to employ screw fixation, limited
bone ingrowth with late failure and high hip centre, leading to increased
risk of dislocation. Contraindications include unaddressed pelvic
dissociation, inability to implant the component with a rim fit,
and an inability to achieve screw fixation. Use in acetabulae with
<
50% bone stock has also been questioned. Published results
have been encouraging in the first decade, with late failures predominantly because
of polyethylene wear and aseptic loosening. Dislocation is the most
common complication of jumbo acetabular revisions, with an incidence
of approximately 10%, and often mandates revision. Based on published results,
a hemispherical component with an enhanced porous coating, highly
cross-linked polyethylene, and a large femoral head appears to represent
the optimum tribology for jumbo acetabular revisions. Cite this article:
This study reports the clinical outcome of reconstruction
of deficient abductor muscles following revision total hip arthroplasty
(THA), using a fresh–frozen allograft of the extensor mechanism
of the knee. A retrospective analysis was conducted of 11 consecutive
patients with a severe limp because of abductor deficiency which
was confirmed on MRI scans. The mean age of the patients (three
men and eight women) was 66.7 years (52 to 84), with a mean follow-up
of 33 months (24 to 41). Following surgery, two patients had no limp, seven had a mild
limp, and two had a persistent severe limp (p = 0.004). The mean
power of the abductors improved on the Medical Research Council
scale from 2.15 to 3.8 (p <
0.001). Pre-operatively, all patients
required a stick or walking frame; post-operatively, four patients
were able to walk without an aid. Overall, nine patients had severe
or moderate pain pre-operatively; ten patients had no or mild pain
post-operatively. At final review, the Harris hip score was good in five patients,
fair in two and poor in four. We conclude that using an extensor mechanism allograft is relatively
effective in the treatment of chronic abductor deficiency of the
hip after THA when techniques such as local tissue transfer are
not possible. Longer-term follow-up is necessary before the technique can be
broadly applied. Cite this article:
Osteolysis remains a common reason for revision
after total hip arthroplasty (THA). For osteolysis associated with loose
cups, revision is indicated. For osteolysis around a well-fixed
cup, the decision is more controversial. The data available data
support retention of the cupwith lesional treatment, working through
screw holes and access channels for debridement and grafting. The
choice of graft material to fill defects, if any, remains controversial. Several
studies demonstrate good survivorship with cup retention strategies.
Complete revision allows more complete debridement of the lesion
and better graft fill, and allows implantation of a modern cup,
typically with a full line of liners and bearing surfaces available.
Additionally, revision allows fine tuning of the orientation of
the cup, which may be advantageous for optimising hip stability.
The author prefers to retain a well-fixed cup if it meets the following
criteria: it is well-fixed to intra-operative testing, it is well-positioned,
it is of sufficient size to allow insertion of a new liner with
a reasonable head size, new liners are available, and the hip is
stable to intra-operative trialing after liner insertion.
Pelvic discontinuity with associated bone loss is a complex challenge in acetabular revision surgery. Reconstruction using ilio-ischial cages combined with trabecular metal acetabular components and morsellised bone (the component-cage technique) is a relatively new method of treatment. We reviewed a consecutive series of 26 cases of acetabular revision reconstructions in 24 patients with pelvic discontinuity who had been treated by the component-cage technique. The mean follow-up was 44.6 months (24 to 68). Failure was defined as migration of a component of >
5 mm. In 23 hips (88.5%) there was no clinical or radiological evidence of loosening at the last follow-up. The mean Harris hip score improved significantly from 46.6 points (29.5 to 68.5) to 76.6 points (55.5 to 92.0) at two years (p <
0.001). In three hips (11.5%) the construct had migrated at one year after operation. The complications included two dislocations, one infection and one partial palsy of the peroneal nerve. Our findings indicate that treatment of pelvic discontinuity using the component-cage construct is a reliable option.
Sciatic nerve palsy is a recognised complication of primary total hip replacement. In our unit this complication was rare with an incidence of <
0.2% in the past ten years. We describe six cases of sciatic nerve palsy occurring in 355 consecutive primary total hip replacements (incidence 1.69%). Each of these palsies was caused by post-operative haematoma in the region of the sciatic nerve. Cases, which were recognised early and surgically-evacuated promptly, showed earlier and more complete recovery. Those patients for whom the diagnosis was delayed, and who were therefore managed expectantly, showed little or no recovery. Unexpected pain and significant swelling in the buttock, as well as signs of sciatic nerve irritation, suggest the presence of haematoma in the region of the sciatic nerve. It is, therefore, of prime importance to be vigilant for the features of a sciatic nerve palsy in the early post-operative period as, when recognised and treated early, the injury to the sciatic nerve may be reversed.
