The influence of total hip replacement on hip pain and the use of analgesics

Free Hip Arthroplasty Templating Software - Does it Work?

Background

Preoperative planning is important for successful total hip arthroplasty (THA) and has been historically performed using acetate templates. Digital software templating has been adopted for evaluating implant size, position, and alignment. Commercial software can be expensive, but free programs exist. Detroit Bone Setter (detroitbonesetter.com, Detroit, MI) is a freely available templating program, but hasn't been validated. Our study reports this program's accuracy for templating THA.

Methods

Sixty-five patients undergoing THA between 2017 and 2022 at 2 hospitals were included. All cases were templated by the senior author or orthopaedic trauma fellow prospectively or retrospectively in a blinded fashion. Direct anterior or posterior approaches were used based on attending surgeon's preference. A student's t-test was used to compare means of templated vs actual implant sizes of femoral and acetabular components.

Results

There was no significant difference between implanted (mean [M] = 6.4, standard deviation [SD] = 2.0) and templated femoral component sizes (M = 5.7, SD = 2.1). There was a significant difference between implanted (M = 57.0, SD = 3.9) and templated acetabular component sizes (M = 53.4, SD = 3.0). Bland-Altman testing demonstrated femoral components with positive measurement bias of 0.62, indicating slight overestimation of implant size. Acetabular component size was overestimated with positive measurement bias of 3.6 mm.

Conclusions

Detroit Bone Setter is advantageous as it is freely available and supports most major company implants. It accurately templated femoral component size but consistently overestimated acetabular component size by 3.6 mm. Further studies are needed prior to recommending its routine use for templating THA when other validated methods exist. It could be used with caution when no other methods are available.

Radiographic evaluation of 19 patients with Paprosky 3A and 3B submitted to acetabular review with trabecular metal wedge

Objective

This study is aimed at evaluating the fixation of trabecular metal wedges in patients who underwent revision of total hip arthroplasty with large acetabular bone defects.

Methods

The radiographs of 19 patients (21 hips), who underwent revision of total hip arthroplasty using trabecular metal wedges from September 2010 to December 2014 were evaluated. This study included only cases of Paprosky 3A and 3B. Preoperative and postoperative images were analyzed. Non-fixation of the implant was defined by the presence of angular variation of the component higher 10 degrees or displacement greater than 6 mm. Patients with follow-up times of less than 24 months or who did not attend the last two appointments were excluded from the study.

Results

The mean follow-up time was 39.4 months (25–61). Fixation was achieved in all cases despite its complexity. There was only one case of dislocation that was treated with open reduction. One case developed infection, and was surgically approached on two occasions, with extensive debridement and intravenous antibiotics following protocol, with good evolution.

Conclusion

The implanted trabecular metal wedges showed excellent results in the short- and medium-term and may represent another option in the reconstruction of large acetabular defects, sometimes replacing bone reconstruction that uses bone tissue banks or autologous graft.

Primary Total Hip Arthroplasty: Equivalent Outcomes in Low and High Functioning Patients

OBJECTIVE

Previous studies suggest that patients with poorer physical function prior to undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA) have a lower postoperative functional outcome. We sought to determine if the preoperative level of function was predictive of the outcome in patients undergoing THA using modern perioperative protocols and surgical techniques.

METHODS

A prospective cohort study design evaluated the preoperative and 2-year postoperative health-related quality of life (HRQoL) scores of 200 patients who underwent THA. The cohort was divided into two groups according to the median preoperative Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) physical function scores.

RESULTS

Both high and low function groups had significant improvements in the HRQoL scores (P < 0.001). However, this improvement was substantially greater in the low function group, resulting in no difference in the HRQoL outcomes of the two groups at final follow-up.

CONCLUSION

This study contradicts the previously held belief that patients with worse function before THA do not do as well as those with less preoperative disability.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level II.

Evaluation of the fixation of the trabecular metal wedge in patients undergoing revision of total hip arthroplasty

OBJECTIVE

this study aimed to evaluate the fixation of the trabecular metal wedge in patients undergoing revision of total hip arthroplasty.

METHODS

twenty-three cases with minimum grading of Paprosky II-B that were operated between July 2008 and February 2013 were evaluated. These cases were evaluated based on radiographs before the operation, immediately after the operation and later on after the operation. Loss of fixation was defined as a change in the abduction angle of the component greater than 10° or any mobilization greater than 6 mm.

RESULTS

it was found that there was 100% fixation of the acetabula after a mean of 29.5 months. One case underwent removal of the implanted components due to infection.

CONCLUSIONS

there is still no consensus regarding the best option for reconstructing hips with bone loss. However, revision using a trabecular metal wedge has presented excellent short- and medium-term results. This qualifies it as an important tool for achieving a fixed and stable acetabular component.

Evaluation of a suspected peri-prosthetic infection by joint aspiration using a novel technique

Background: Investigation of a suspected peri-prosthetic infection post joint arthroplasty typically involves an index of clinical suspicion and the use of inflammatory markers, radiological assessment and joint aspiration. Joint aspiration remains the gold standard, but the risk of false positives limits its accuracy. We describe a novel technique of joint aspiration that addresses its inherent shortcomings by limiting the exposure to contamination by skin commensals. Methods: In a laminar airflow theatre, a spinal needle is introduced into the joint space via a truncated 5 ml syringe, (with the plunger removed). The trajectory and position of the advancing spinal needle is confirmed using intermittent anteroposterior (AP) fluoroscopy.Results: The technique described here isolates the aspirating needle and the subsequent sample(s) obtained from the skin flora, thus it also has the advantage of isolating the joint in the same manner. This technique has the added advantages of being simple, cost effective, easy to employ and easy to teach. As it is based on a simple principle it can also be modified for use in prosthetic knee aspirations or in cases where septic arthritis is suspected.Conclusions: Joint aspiration is a useful technique in providing a diagnostic sample to assist in the diagnosis of suspected joint infections. Its sensitivity is affected owing to the risk of sample contamination when obtaining the sample. This technique aims to address the shortcomings of traditional joint aspiration by isolating the aspirating needle and the subsequently obtained sample from the surrounding skin.

Intraoperative muscle damage in total hip arthroplasty

Tenderness in the medial and posterior thigh is sometimes observed during the early postoperative period after total hip arthroplasty (THA). In this study, the possible correlations of preoperative hip range of motion, surgical approach, and limb lengthening with postoperative muscle strain injury in THA were investigated. Sixty primary THA patients given the posterolateral approach or direct-lateral approach were examined. For comparison of the muscle strain injury in the 2 groups, we used magnetic resonance imaging. There were significant differences in postoperative thigh pain between cases in the posterolateral group with reduction of internal rotation and those with no reduction, and between cases in the direct-lateral group with reduction of external rotation and those with no reduction.

Therapeutic effects of Saireito (TJ-114), a traditional Japanese herbal medicine, on postoperative edema and inflammation after total hip arthroplasty

Saireito (TJ-114) is a traditional Japanese herbal medicine that has been used for treating edema and inflammation in diseases such as nephritic disease. This study investigates the effect of TJ-114 on postoperative edema and inflammation after total hip arthroplasty (THA). Patients who underwent cementless THA were randomly divided into two groups: Group A consisted of 8 hips of 8 patients who were treated with TJ-114 at a dose of 9 g/day 2 days before surgery and for 2 weeks after surgery; Group B consisted of 9 hips of 9 patients who did not take TJ-114. Although no significant difference was observed between the two groups for lower extremity edema, it was found that swelling of the proximal leg in Group A was less than that in Group B. Furthermore, 3 weeks after surgery, every measuring point in the lower extremity showed that TJ-114 tended to decrease postoperative swelling compared to measurements of swelling of patients who did not take TJ-114. Serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels of 6 out of 8 patients in Group A decreased and became negative 2 weeks after surgery; however, there were no patients in Group B whose CRP levels became negative after 2 weeks. In conclusion, TJ-114 is safe and useful for the prevention and early recovery of postoperative leg edema after THA with an association of rapid CRP reduction.

The painful total hip replacement

Total hip replacement is one of the most common and successful orthopaedic procedures. However, evaluation and treatment of the painful total hip replacement is one of the most difficult challenges for the arthroplasty surgeon. The differential diagnosis includes causes that are intrinsic and extrinsic to the hip. A thorough history and physical examination provide the basis for a focused, efficient workup of the painful total hip replacement. The temporal onset, duration, severity, site, and character of the pain all provide important clues in determining the cause of the painful total hip replacement. The physical examination should focus on tests and maneuvers that reproduce the patient's symptoms. Laboratory tests and radiographic evaluation are used selectively as indicated by the history and physical examination findings. With a careful and thorough evaluation, the cause of the painful total hip replacement can be determined in most patients, and the appropriate treatment can be initiated.