Cementless ceramic-on-ceramic total hip arthroplasty in post-traumatic osteoarthritis after acetabular fracture: long-term results

Fourth-generation Ceramic Head Fracture in Total Hip Arthroplasty: A Case Report and Literature Review

Ceramics are used in total hip arthroplasty due to inherent wettability and low wear rates, but fracture risk is a known complication. Rates as high as 13.4% were reported in the past, yet as low as 0.02% in newer generations. Howard et al. reported a fracture rate of 0.009% for fourth-generation ceramic heads. We present a case report of a 69-year-old male with a BMI of 40.01 kg/m2 who suffered a fracture of a 36-mm ceramic femoral head with pseudoacetabular involvement of the polyethylene liner. This occurred 2 years and 3 months after his primary surgery after a 4-foot fall off of a ladder. The patient underwent revision of his total hip arthroplasty with arthroplasty of the polyethylene liner and femoral head component without stem explantation.

Effectiveness of Total Hip Arthroplasty Combined With Hip Braces for Hip Charcot Arthropathy

OBJECTIVE

Charcot arthropathy is characterized by varying degrees of sensory loss and rapidly progressive joint destruction. Historically, limited studies indicated that Charcot arthropathy of the hip joint may be a contraindication for total hip arthroplasty (THA). Yet, some recent studies have shown that good clinical results and acceptable survival rate. Hence, this study aimed to investigate clinical outcomes, radiographic outcomes, complication rates and survivorship of primary THA in Charcot arthropathy.

METHODS

We retrospectively included 11 patients (11 hips) with Charcot arthropathy who underwent THA between 1998 and 2016. All involved patients were diagnosed as syphilis. All patients had classic radiographic findings of Charcot arthropathy. The hip braces were used in all patients for six weeks after surgery. Outcome measures included VAS, Oxford Hip Score, and UCLA score. Statistical analyses involved t-tests, chi-square tests, and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis.

RESULTS

The average follow-up period was 81.73 months. The average VAS, Oxford Hip Score, and UCLA score were improved significantly. There was higher complication rate of 45.5% after THA. Reoperation was carried out in two patients due to dislocation and acetabular component loosening. The Kaplan-Meier survivorship with an end point of reoperation for any reason was 81.8%.

CONCLUSIONS

THA is proved to be reasonable in improving hip joint function, which is suitable for patients with Charcot hip joint. Although the complication rate is high, we consider that THA combined with hip brace may be a valid treatment choice for Charcot arthropathy with detailed preoperative planning and proper precautions.

Evaluation of total hip arthroplasty for management of acetabular fracture complications: A prospective cohort study

Objectives:

Total hip arthroplasty (THA) has been recommended as an effective tool for restoring joint function. This study aimed to evaluate the functional and clinical outcomes of THA management of acetabular fracture late complications such as arthritis by both Harris-Hip Score (HHS) and Western Ontario McMaster Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) score, anticipate, and prevent the most common complications such as infection and dislocation.

Methods:

This prospective case series included 30 patients with THA to manage acetabular fracture complications such as arthritis. The study started in November 2021 and ended in September 2023. Inclusion criteria were patients with acetabular fractures with secondary arthritis (pre-existing osteoarthritis were excluded) aged 25– 70 and who had at least 1 year from fracture to arthroplasty. Exclusion criteria were patients with a history of previous infection.

Results:

Heterotopic ossification (HO) improved statistically significantly after using ketorolac at an 18-month follow-up compared to preoperatively. Using both the HHS and WOMAC scores, a statistically significant difference was found between pre-operative and post-operative functional outcomes for estimating HO development using radiographs.

Conclusion:

THA was safe and effective in managing late acetabular fracture complications. Ketorolac use showed promising results in prophylaxis against HO.

Risk of Periprosthetic Joint Infection after Posttraumatic Hip Arthroplasty following Acetabular Fractures

BACKGROUND

Raised complication rates have been reported for total hip arthroplasty (THA) in posttraumatic hip joints after acetabular fractures with prior open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF). The present study evaluated (I) postoperative surgical site infection and the risk of early infection following THA in posttraumatic hip joints after acetabular fractures and (II) the discriminatory ability of preoperative C-reactive protein (CRP) blood levels for periprosthetic joint infection (PJI).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients were included who had undergone THA (2014-2019) after prior ORIF, and nonsurgically treated acetabular fractures. Patients' demographics and the duration between fracture and THA implantation were assessed. Preoperative diagnostic testing (laboratory results, hip aspirations) as well as the results of intraoperative microbiological swabs and sonication were also evaluated. Postoperative complications were recorded.

RESULTS

Sixty-seven patients (51 men/16 women) were included, with a mean age of 54.7 ± 14.0 years (range: 18.0-82.9). The mean time between acetabular fracture and THA was 13.5 ± 14.9 years (0.2-53.5). Four subgroups were classified: subgroup I (nonsurgical, n = 15), subgroup II (complete removal of osteosynthesis, n = 8), subgroup III (partial removal of osteosynthesis, n = 15), and subgroup IV (remaining osteosynthesis, n = 29). Preoperative CRP blood levels were normal. CRP levels had no discriminatory ability to predict PJI (AUC: 0.43). Positive microbiological swabs were assessed in subgroups III (n = 1) and IV (n = 2). Complications during follow-up occurred in subgroups I (one aseptic loosening [6.7%]), III (one wound revision [6.7%], two low-grade infections [13.3%]), and IV (three low-grade infections [10.3%]).

CONCLUSION

High infection rates were found in patients with THA after acetabular fracture with remaining implants or partial implant removal. Serum CRP alone seems to be a poor predictor. Therefore, an extensive diagnostic algorithm can help to detect an occult infection, including preoperative hip aspiration (microbiological samples and measurements of synovial CRP, WBC, and alpha-defensin levels). Intraoperative tissue samples and sonication results should be obtained during THA implantation.

Evaluation of Rotational Stability and Stress Shielding of a Stem Optimized for Hip Replacements—A Finite Element Study

The natural distribution of stress in the femur is altered when total hip arthroplasty (THA) is performed. In fact, when a stem is inserted inside the femur, there is a variation in stress due to the difference in rigidity between the material with which the stem is made and the femur. This generates the phenomenon of stress shielding. The aim of this study is to design an optimized prosthesis that guarantees an excellent rotational stability and a reduced stress shielding. Methods: Through the finite element method (FEM), the mechanical behavior of the stem subjected to the loads described by ISO 7206-4:2010 is studied. Results: Through topological optimization, there is a reduction in stress shielding in the proximal zone of 31.46%. The addition of ridges on the dorsal side of the stem also improves rotational stability by 27.82%. Conclusions: The decrease in stiffness that is recorded with the optimized stem guarantees a greater distribution of stress on the bone. The presence of dorsal ridges also favors the corticalization of the bone as it loads the bone near the dorsal, ensuring further stability. The perforated prosthesis presented in this study shows an increase in primary stability and an improvement in rotational stability as there is also a bone regrowth inside the prosthesis.

Mid-term functional and radiological outcomes after total hip replacement performed for complications of acetabular fractures

OBJECTIVE

Acetabular fractures can lead to serious complications such as avascular necrosis of the femoral head (AVN), osteoarthritis, non-union. Total hip replacement (THR) is a treatment option for these complications. The purpose of this study was to assess the functional and radiological outcomes of THR at least 5 years after the primary implantation.

METHODS

This retrospective study analysed clinical data from 77 patients (59 males, 18 females) who were treated from 2001 to 2022. Data was collected on the incidence of AVN of the femoral head, complications, interval from fracture to THR, reimplantation. The modified Harris Hip Score (MHHS) was used to evaluate outcome.

RESULTS

The mean age at the time of fracture was 48 years. Avascular necrosis developed in 56 patients (73%), with 3 cases of non-union. Osteoarthritis without AVN developed in 20 patients (26%), non-union without AVN in one patient (1%). The mean time from fracture to THR was 24 months for AVN with non-union, 23 months for AVN alone, 22 months for AVN with arthritis, 49 months for hip osteoarthritis without AVN. The time interval was significantly shorter for cases of AVN than for cases of osteoarthritis without AVN (p = 0.0074). Type C1 acetabular fracture was found to be a risk factor for femoral head AVN (p = 0.0053). Common complications of acetabular fractures included post-traumatic sciatic nerve paresis (17%), deep venous thrombosis (4%), infections (4%). Hip dislocation was the most common complication of THR (17%). There were no cases of thrombosis following THR. According to Kaplan-Meier analysis, the proportion of patients without revision surgery within 10-year period was 87.4% (95% CI 86.7-88.1). The results of the MHHS after THR: 59.3% of patients had excellent results, 7.4% good, 9.3% satisfactory results, and 24.0% had poor results. The mean MHHS was 84 points (95% CI 78.5-89.5). Paraarticular ossifications were observed in 69.4% of patients in the radiological evaluation.

CONCLUSION

Total hip replacement is an effective treatment for serious complications of acetabular fracture treatment. Its results are comparable to THR peformed for other indications, although it is associated with a higher number of paraarticular ossifications. Type C1 acetabular fracture was found to be a significant risk factor for early femoral head AVN.

Effectiveness of two-stage revision with commercial polymethylmethacrylate articulated hip spacer: similar outcomes against monomicrobial and polymicrobial hip periprosthetic joint infections

Background: orthopaedic surgeons still struggle against a devastating complication - periprosthetic joint infection (PJI). A two-stage revision is considered the gold standard for chronic PJI for several authors, with success rates over 90 %. This strategy implies the remotion of the prosthesis and the implantation of an antibiotic-impregnated cement spacer in the joint. The primary objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a two-stage revision approach using a commercial prefabricated antibiotic-impregnated cement hip spacer for the treatment of hip PJI regarding monomicrobial and polymicrobial infections. Secondly, to assess risk factors for failure of two-stage revision. Material and methods: we conducted a retrospective study on patients that underwent revision of total hip arthroplasty (THA) between January 2002 and January 20218. We included adult patients with a diagnosis of chronic hip PJI that underwent two-stage revision using a prefabricated gentamicin-impregnated cement of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) hip spacer. We assessed whether it was monomicrobial or polymicrobial infections and comorbidities. Treatment success was defined when eradication of the infection was observed and no further procedures or mortality were registered after the second stage. Persistence or recurrence of infection was considered a failure of treatment. Results: the final series consisted of 84 patients treated with the same hip spacer: 60 (71.4 %) monomicrobial and 24 (28.6 %) polymicrobial joint infections with an overall follow-up of 59.0 (36.0-84.0) months. The overall success rate was 90.5 %. Eight (9.5 %) patients failed. Smoking and BMI greater than 30 m kg- 2 were identified independent risk factors for failure in multivariate analysis. Conclusion: our study suggests that prefabricated gentamicin-impregnated PMMA spacer is an effective tool for the treatment of PJI, achieving similar outcomes whether it is monomicrobial or polymicrobial infections. Randomized prospective studies are needed to obtain more reliable conclusions.

Total Hip Arthroplasty in the Setting of Post-Traumatic Arthritis Following Acetabular Fracture: A Systematic Review

Background

Acetabular fractures are frequently associated with post-traumatic arthritis (PTA), for which total hip arthroplasty (THA) has emerged as the established procedure. The purpose of this systematic review is to report the patient outcomes, complications, and implant survival of delayed THA for patients with PTA following acetabular fracture.

Methods

A systematic review was performed in December 2021 as per Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Guidelines to identify all studies reporting outcomes of delayed THA performed for PTA with a history of acetabular fracture. From an initial screen of 893 studies, 29 studies which met defined inclusion criteria including minimum 12 months of follow-up and minimum 10 THA were included in the final review.

Results

A total of 1220 THA were reported across 29 studies, with 1174 THA completing a minimum of 1-year follow-up at a mean of 86 months. All 29 studies reported upon complications, with a control included in 6 for comparison. Higher complication rates were observed both in patients who had prior open reduction internal fixation and conservative treatment, most notably infection which was observed following 3.6% THA. The total joint revision rate was 9.7%. An improvement was noted in all 25 studies which recorded patient-reported outcomes, with a mean rise in the Harris hip score from 45 to 86 across 18 studies.

Conclusions

THA may reduce reported pain levels and improve functional outcomes in selected patients experiencing PTA following acetabular fractures. There is an increased risk of complications, necessitating careful consideration when planning the operation and open discussion with prospective patients and caregivers.

Total hip arthroplasty for posttraumatic osteoarthritis secondary to acetabular fracture: An evidence based on 1,284 patients from 1970 to 2018

BACKGROUND

Posttraumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) can be a crippling sequela of acetabular fracture (AF), and total hip arthroplasty (THA) is often necessary to alleviate the clinical progression of symptoms. The purpose of this study was to summarize the existing clinical evidence concerning the surgical management of AF with THA through meta-analyses.

METHODS

Databases were searched for articles published between 1995 and January 2022 that contained the keywords "acetabular," "fracture," "arthroplasty," and "osteoarthritis." Our study was registered in PROSPERO under number CRD42022314997.

RESULTS

We screened 3,125 studies and included data from 31 studies with 1,284 patients. The median patient age at the time of THA was 52 years and ranged from 19 to 94 years. The pooled overall survival rate was 88% [86%-90%, 95% confidence interval (CI)] and could reach 83% at ≥15-year follow-up. For the Harris Hip Score, we pooled 22 studies with an overall mean difference of 43.25 (40.40-46.10, 95% CI; P < 0.001), indicating a large clinical effect. The pooled complications (incidence rates) across studies were: heterotopic ossification (22.53%), implant dislocation (4.66%), implant infection (3.44%), and iatrogenic nerve injury (1.07%).

CONCLUSION

THA in patients with PTOA following AF leads to significant improvement in symptoms and function at ≥15-year follow-up. Survival rates of implants free from re-operation or revision after THA decreased with follow-up time and could still reach 83% at ≥15-year follow-up. THA might be an effective therapeutic method for patients with PTOA due to AF.

An Experimental and Virtual Approach to Hip Revision Prostheses

(1) Introduction: The changes in the joint morphology inevitably lead to prosthesis, but the hip pathology is complex. The hip arthroplasty is a therapeutic solution and can be caused, most frequently, by primary and secondary coxarthrosis due to or followed by traumatic conditions. The main aim of this study was to find the method of revision hip prosthesis that preserves as much bone material as possible and has sufficiently good mechanical strength. (2) Materials and Methods: In this study, in a first step, the two revision prostheses were performed on bone components taken from an animal (cow), and then, they were tested on a mechanical testing machine until the prostheses physically failed, and the force causing their failure was determined. (3) Results: These prostheses were then modelled in a virtual environment and tested using the finite element method (FEM) in order to determine their behaviour under loading from normal human gait. Displacement, strain, and stress maps were obtained. (4) Discussion: Discussions on hip revision prostheses, method, and theory analysis are presented at the end of the paper. (5) Conclusions: Important conclusions are drawn based on comparative analyses. The main conclusion shows that the both orthopaedic prostheses provide a very good resistance.

Effect of Operation Room Nursing Intervention and Ceramic Prosthesis on Total Hip Arthroplasty

In order to solve the problems of large trauma, many postoperative complications, and complex operation of artificial hip arthroplasty, a method to analyze the application effect of operating room nursing intervention in artificial hip arthroplasty was proposed. Firstly, 120 patients who underwent hip arthroplasty in our hospital from January to December 2017 were selected; Secondly, they were randomly divided into routine group (60 cases) and intervention group (60 cases); finally, on this basis, the intervention group strengthened the nursing in the operating room and used nanoceramic prosthesis. The Harris score of hip joint, the incidence of postoperative complications, and the satisfaction with nursing services were compared between the two groups. The results showed that the Harris score of hip joint and the satisfaction score of nursing service in the intervention group were significantly higher than those in the routine group (P < 0.05); the incidence of postoperative complications in the intervention group was significantly lower than that in the routine group (P < 0.05). It is proved that actively carrying out nursing intervention in the operating room and using nanoceramic prosthesis can not only improve the clinical efficacy and nursing service satisfaction of patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty but also reduce the incidence of complications.

Cementless Ceramic-on-Ceramic Total Hip Replacement in Children and Adolescents

Background: total hip replacement (THR) is a rare surgical option in children and adolescents with disabling hip diseases. The aim of this study is to report results from a retrospective cohort of patients aged 18 years or less who underwent cementless Ceramic-on-Ceramic (CoC) THR at a single institution, investigating clinical and radiographic outcomes, survival rates, and reasons for revision of the implants. Materials and methods: we queried the Registry of Prosthetic Orthopedic Implants (RIPO) to identify all children and adolescents undergoing THR between 2000 and 2019 at a single Institution. Inclusion criteria were patients undergoing cementless CoC THR, aged less than 18 years at surgery, followed for at least 2 years. Sixty-eight patients (74 hips) matched all the inclusion criteria and were enrolled in the study. We assessed the clinical and radiographic outcomes, the rate of complications, the survival rate, and reasons for revision of the implants. Results: The mean follow-up was 6.6 ± 4.4 years (range 2-20). The most frequent reason for THR was post-traumatic or chemotherapy-induced avascular necrosis (38%). The overall survival rate of the cohort was 97.6% (95% CI: 84.9-99.7%) at 5 years of follow-up, 94.4% (95% CI: 79.8-98.6%) at 10 years and 15 years of follow-up. Two THR in two patients (2.7%) required revision. With the numbers available, Cox regression analysis could not detect any significant interaction between preoperative or intraoperative variables and implant survivorship (p-value 0.242 to 0.989)." The average HOOS was 85 ± 14.3 (range 30.6-100). Overall, 23 patients (48%) reported excellent HOOS scores (>90 points), 21 patients (44%) reported acceptable HOOS scores (60-90 points) while 4 patients (8%) reported poor outcomes (<60 points). Twenty-one patients (43%) were regularly involved into moderate- to high-intensity sport activities (UCLA ≥ 6). Conclusions: Cementless CoC THR is a successful procedure in children and teenagers, having demonstrated high implant survivorship and low rates of complications and failure. A meticulous preoperative planning and implant selection is mandatory, to avoid implant malposition, which is the main reason of failure and revision in these cases. Further studies are needed to assess the impact of the THR on the psychosocial wellbeing of teenagers, as well as risks and benefits and cost-effectiveness in comparison to the hip preserving surgical procedures.