Total hip arthroplasty: a still evolving technique

The invasiveness of robot-assisted total hip replacement is similar to that of conventional surgery

Robot-assisted total hip arthroplasty (R-THA) is increasingly being performed throughout the world. The invasiveness of this operation is unknown. We retrospectively reviewed the cohort of consecutive osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) patients who received primary R-THA or manual THA (M-THA) from January 2020 to January 2022 in our institution. One experienced surgeon performed all procedures. We calculated the propensity score to match similar patients in different groups by multivariate logistic regression analysis for each patient. We included confounders consisting of age, sex, body mass index (BMI), and operation time. Preoperative serum markers and Harris hip scores (HHS), postoperative serum markers at first day and third day, complications rate, postoperative HHS and Forgotten Joint Score (FJS) at 6 months after surgery of different cohorts were compared. We analyzed 218 ONFH patients treated with THA (98 R-THA patients, and 120 M-THA patients). After propensity score matching, we generated cohorts of 95 patients in R-THA and M-THA groups. We found no significant difference in preoperative serum markers and HHS. In the R-THA cohort, the PLT count was significantly lower on the postoperative day 1 (192.36 ± 41.72 × 109/L Vs 210.47 ± 72.85 × 109/L, p < 0.05). The Hb level was significantly lower on the postoperative third day in the R-THA cohort (98.52 ± 12.99 g/L Vs 104.74 ± 13.15 g/L, p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the other serum markers between the cohorts on postoperative day 1 and 3 (p > 0.05). The FJS was significantly higher in the R-THA than M-THA group (p = 0.01). There was no significant difference in the postoperative HHS or complication rate between the groups (p > 0.05). The R-THA is not associated with a serious invasiveness compared to M-THA. Patients who underwent R-THA had a better early function compared to those who underwent M-THA.

Serum biomarkers for the assessment of muscle damage in various surgical approaches in primary total hip arthroplasty: a systematic review of comparative studies

PURPOSE

Using serum biomarkers, this systematic review assessed soft tissue injury following different total hip arthroplasty surgical approaches. The purposes were to determine if there is any advantage between the standard and minimal invasive approaches, and to compare tissue damage of the respective surgical approaches using biomarkers such as creatine kinase, myoglobin, c-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, skeletal troponin and interleukins.

METHOD

A search in Pubmed/MEDLINE, Scopus and Web of Science databases was conducted in October 2021 with the use of PRISMA guidelines. Search items were ("biomarkers" OR "markers" OR "tissue damage" OR "muscle damage") AND "approach" AND ("total hip arthroplasty" OR "total hip replacement"). Inclusion criteria were prospective, randomized, controlled trials or prospective, comparative studies, comparing serum markers for muscle damage in two or more surgical approaches for primary total hip arthroplasty. Exclusion criteria were study protocols, case reports, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, studies in non-English language or without available full text, and studies not recording biomarkers of muscle damage.

RESULTS

Initial search revealed 508 studies; after subtraction of duplicates, and exclusion criteria, 31 studies remained for analysis. No advantage between different approaches was found when evaluating biomarkers, and no specific biomarkers had a distinct role in tissue damage in total hip arthroplasty. Anterior and minimally invasive approaches were associated with lower values of soft tissue (creatine kinase) and inflammation (c-reactive protein) biomarkers compared to the standard approaches.

CONCLUSION

Measurement of serum biomarkers after primary total hip arthroplasty for the estimation of tissue damage has unclear or little clinical value.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

PROSPERO Registration: CRD42022303959.

Acetabular Revision Arthroplasty Based on 3-Dimensional Reconstruction Technology Using Jumbo Cups

Background: This study was aimed at evaluating the changes in cup coverage (CC) and hip center of rotation (HCOR) in acetabular defects of various severities treated with acetabular revision using jumbo cups.

Methods: A total of 86 hips were included. The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS) classification of these patients was as follows: 16 patients, AAOS I; 16 patients, AAOS II; and 16 patients, AAOS III. A three-dimensional (3D) implant simulation technique was used to visualize the placement of jumbo cups during revision arthroplasty. The acetabular anteversion, inclination, CC, and the HCOR were measured.

Results: The inclination and anteversion of simulated acetabular cups in AAOS I–III groups were consistent with the normal acetabular anatomy. Compared with the controls, in AAOS I–III groups, the HCOR was significantly increased and CC was significantly decreased. The HCOR elevation was significantly higher in AAOS III patients than in AAOS I (p = 0.001) and AAOS II patients (p < 0.001). The use of the jumbo cup technology for acetabular revision would decrease the CC in AAOS I–III patients to 86.47, 84.78, and 74.51%, respectively.

Conclusion: Our study demonstrated that in patients with acetabular defects, acetabular revision arthroplasty using jumbo cups will lead to decreased CC and HCOR upshift. Upon classifying these patients according to the AAOS classification, CC decreased with the severity of acetabular defects, and the elevation of the HCOR in AAOS III patients exceeded 10 mm and was significantly higher than in other patients.

Postoperative Hip Center Position Associated With the Range of Internal Rotation and Extension During Gait in Hip Dysplasia Patients After Total Hip Arthroplasty

Background: Total hip arthroplasty (THA) for hip dysplasia patients is sometimes complex and compromises pathomorphological changes in these patients. However, it remains unclear whether it is preoperative deformities or postoperative structures or anatomic changes during THA that have the most remarkable correlation with the hip dynamic function during gait. The purpose of this study was to investigate this relationship and propose insights into the surgical reconstruction strategy in patients with developmental dysplasia of the hip.

Methods: A total of 21 unilateral hip dysplasia patients received computed tomography scans for the creation of 3D hip models before surgery and at the last follow-up. Acetabular and femoral orientations, hip center positions, and femoral length were measured before and after THA. Hip kinematics of the operated side during gait was quantified using a dual fluoroscopic imaging technique. Pearson correlation and multiple linear regression were performed to evaluate the relationship between hip maximum range of motion in six directions and demographics characters and above hip anatomic parameters before and after THA and their changes in surgery.

Results: Pearson correlation analysis found significant correlations with the gait range of motion mainly in postoperative structures, including postoperative hip center positions and acetabulum and combined anteversion. Further multiple linear regression indicated that a laterally placed hip center was significantly correlated with an increased internal rotation (R2 = 0.25, p = 0.021), which together with increased postoperative acetabulum anteversion explained 45% of external rotation decreasing (p = 0.004). A proximally placed hip center was correlated with more extension (R2 = 0.30, p = 0.010). No significant demographic characters or preoperative deformities or surgical changes were included into other multiple regression models.

Conclusion: Strong correlations between postoperative structures, especially hip center positions and gait range of motion in unilateral hip dysplasia patients after THA were found. It indicated that postoperative prosthesis structures, particularly hip center positions had significant impact on the hip gait motion range and should be treated with particular caution in surgery.

Martins MC, Costa F. Antimicrobial Peptides in the Battle against Orthopedic Implant-Related Infections: A Review

Prevention of orthopedic implant-related infections is a major medical challenge, particularly due to the involvement of biofilm-encased and multidrug-resistant bacteria. Current therapies, based on antibiotic administration, have proven to be insufficient, and infection prevalence may rise due to the dissemination of antibiotic resistance. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have attracted attention as promising substitutes of conventional antibiotics, owing to their broad-spectrum of activity, high efficacy at very low concentrations, and, importantly, low propensity for inducing resistance. The aim of this review is to offer an updated perspective of the development of AMPs-based preventive strategies for orthopedic and dental implant-related infections. In this regard, two major research strategies are herein addressed, namely (i) AMP-releasing systems from titanium-modified surfaces and from bone cements or beads; and (ii) AMP immobilization strategies used to graft AMPs onto titanium or other model surfaces with potential translation as coatings. In overview, releasing strategies have evolved to guarantee higher loadings, prolonged and targeted delivery periods upon infection. In addition, avant-garde self-assembling strategies or polymer brushes allowed higher immobilized peptide surface densities, overcoming bioavailability issues. Future research efforts should focus on the regulatory demands for pre-clinical and clinical validation towards clinical translation.

Changes in expression of serum chemokine CXCL13 and IL-6 after hip replacement, and the relationship with lower limb vein thrombus

Changes in the expression of serum chemokine CXC ligand 13 (CXCL13) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), and the relationship with lower limb vein thrombus were explored. A total of 128 patients undergoing hip replacement in The First Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from May 2017 to June 2019 were selected, and the patients suffering from lower limb vein thrombus were enrolled as group A and other patients not suffering from it were enrolled as group B. Enzyme-linked immuno-sorbent assay was employed to determine the levels of serum chemokine CXCL13 and IL-6, and receiver operating characteristic curves of serum chemokine CXCL13 and IL-6 levels in diagnosing restenosis after surgery were drawn. Pearson's correlation coefficient was adopted to analyze the correlation between serum chemokine CXCL13 and IL-6, and the logistic regression analysis to analyze the risk factors affecting hip replacement in patients. The levels of serum CXCL13 and IL-6 in group A were significantly higher than those in group B (both P<0.001). The specificity and sensitivity of serum CXCL13 level in diagnosis of lower limb vein thrombus after hip replacement were 61.76 and 80.00%, respectively, and those of serum IL-6 level in diagnosis were 70.59 and 66.67%, respectively. Serum CXCL13 level was positively correlated with serum IL-6 level (P<0.001), and age, body mass index (BMI), CXCL13 level and IL-6 level of the patients were independent risk factors affecting the efficacy of hip replacement. Serum CXCL13 level and serum IL-6 level can be used as biological indexes for prediction of early lower limb vein thrombus after hip replacement, and logistic regression analysis revealed that the age of the patients, BMI, diabetes history, hyperlipidemia history, hypertension history, CXCL13 level and IL-6 level are independent risk factors affecting the efficacy of hip replacement.