Fused hip conversion to total hip arthroplasty with the direct anterior approach: surgical technique on a regular surgical table under fluoroscopic guidance

PURPOSE

Conversion of a fused hip to a total hip arthroplasty (THA) is technically challenging due to the loss of anatomical references. Here, a reproducible technique using the direct anterior approach (DAA) with a regular surgical table under fluoroscopic guidance is described, which has several advantages over traditional such as lateral or posterior approaches.

METHODS

There were reported 11 cases of ankylosis hip that were converted to THA using the same surgical technique protocol. Clinical and radiographic outcomes were recorded at 3.2 years of follow-up. A detailed preoperative evaluation was performed, including a pelvis radiological evaluation and magnetic resonance image (MRI) to assess the integrity of the periarticular soft tissue and flexor muscles.

RESULTS

The DAA has considerable advantages, such as allowing more precise targeting during surgery, avoiding the risk of pseudoarthrosis due to the absence of a trochanteric osteotomy, preserving the abductors, and allowing an easier-to-use of intraoperative fluoroscopy due to the supine position. Besides, the use of a standard table reduces surgical time and allows assessment of limb length, hip stability, and impingement in all planes in an intraoperative dynamic range, which decreases postoperative complications.

CONCLUSION

Conversion from hip fusion to THA is a rare and complex procedure. The use of DAA with a standard table and fluoroscopy helps to avoid high complications since it allows a dynamic intra-operative examination of the range of motion to rule out impingements, reduces the risk of dislocation, and allows leg lengthening verification.

Promising medium-term results of anterior approach with an anatomical short stem in primary hip arthroplasty

BACKGROUND

In the last decade, the increase in the use of the direct anterior approach to the hip has contributed to the diffusion of the use of short stems in orthopedic surgery. The aim of the study is to verify the medium-term clinical and radiographic results of a cementless anatomic short stem in the anterior approach to the hip. We also want to verify whether the use of the standard operating room table or the leg positioner can affect the incidence of pre- and postoperative complications.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

All total hip arthroplasty patients with a 1-year minimum follow-up who were operated using the MiniMAX stem between January 2010 and December 2019 were included in this study. Clinical evaluation included the Harris Hip Score (HHS), Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Hip Outcome Assessment (WOMAC) Score, and Short Form-36 (SF-36) questionnaires. Bone resorption and remodeling, radiolucency, osteolysis, and cortical hypertrophy were analyzed in the postoperative radiograph and were related to the final follow-up radiographic results. Complications due to the use of the standard operating room table or the leg positioner were evaluated.

RESULTS

A total of 227 patients (238 hips) were included in the study. Average age at time of surgery was 62 years (range 38-77 years). Mean follow-up time was 67.7 months (range 12-120 months). Kaplan-Meier survivorship analysis after 10 years revealed 98.2% survival rate with revision for loosening as endpoint. The mean preoperative and postoperative HHS were 38.35 and 94.2, respectively. The mean preoperative and postoperative WOMAC Scores were 82.4 and 16.8, respectively. SF-36 physical and mental scores averaged 36.8 and 42.4, respectively, before surgery and 72.4 and 76.2, respectively, at final follow-up. The radiographic change around the stem showed bone hypertrophy in 55 cases (23%) at zone 3. In total, 183 surgeries were performed via the direct anterior approach (DAA) on a standard operating room table, and 44 surgeries were performed on the AMIS mobile leg positioner. Comparison between the two patient groups did not reveal significant differences.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, a short, anatomic, cementless femoral stem provided stable metaphyseal fixation in younger patients. Our clinical and radiographic results support the use of this short stem in the direct anterior approach.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

IV.

Does using the direct anterior approach with a standard table for total hip arthroplasty reduce leg length discrepancies? Comparative study of traction table versus standard table

INTRODUCTION

Primary total hip replacement (THR) comes with a risk of leg length discrepancy (LLD), which occurs in 25 % of cases, especially when the surgery is done using an anterior approach on a traction table, since it is not easy to verify the lengths of the legs. By doing the anterior approach on a standard table an intraoperative visual evaluation of leg lengths can be done after the trial implants are in place. As far as we know, the ability to set the leg length has not been compared between procedures done on a standard table or a traction table. This led us to carry out a retrospective comparative study to determine whether using a standard table for anterior THR will 1) allow better control over leg length, 2) increase the risk of incorrect implant positioning, 3) increase the surgical complication rate.

HYPOTHESIS

Anterior THR on a standard table will allow better control over leg length than anterior THR on a traction table.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This single center retrospective study included 266 THRs done between January 1, 2018 and November 2, 2019 for primary (n=219) or secondary (n=47) hip osteoarthritis. The 137 cases done with a traction table were compared to the 129 cases with a standard table. The two groups were comparable in terms of age, sex, body mass index, indication and bilateral implants. They were not comparable in the surgeon experience (more junior surgeons in the standard table group [p<0.001]) and types of implants used (more cementless cups and stems in the standard table group [p=0.001]). Radiographs were used to measure the LLD, cup inclination, and femoral stem placement in the frontal plane. Any early complications were documented. The target was for the operated leg to be the same length as the contralateral leg, which was defined as within 10mm of each other.

RESULTS

The mean postoperative LLD was comparable between the traction table group 1.56±7.32 mm (min -15.6 max 17.2) and the standard table group 0.53±6.93 mm (min -16.4 max 13.7) (p=0.24). In the traction table group, 81 % (111/137) of patients had legs of the same length, versus 84 % (109/129) in the standard table group (p=0.7). Cup inclination was comparable with a mean of 40.4±7.1 degrees (min 23.4; max 58.5) in the traction table group versus 39.3±7.5 degrees (min 19.9; max 60.9) in the standard table group (p=0.21). The frontal position of the femoral stem was comparable between groups with a mean of 0.09±0.45 degrees (min -1; max 3.98) in the traction table group versus 0.08±0.59 degrees (min -4.97; max 1.93) in the standard table group (p=0.86). There were 5 complications (3.7 %) in the traction table group versus 11 (8.5 %) in the standard table group (p=0.16).

CONCLUSION

Use of a standard table to carry out THR by the direct anterior approach does not provide better control over leg length than using a traction table, subject to preoperative planning. When doing the procedure on a standard table, the implant placement is at least comparable, with a similar risk of complications.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

III; case matched study.

Anterior approach without traction table: A means of saving time and money in hemiarthroplasty for femoral neck fracture? A case-matched study with and without traction table

BACKGROUND

The costs incurred by management of displaced femoral neck fracture are a public health issue. The anterior approach can be used for partial hip replacement, but costs in terms of equipment and time incurred by using a traction table have not to our knowledge been estimated in this indication. We therefore performed a case-control study, comparing (1) installation and deinstallation times (IT, DT) in partial hip replacement using a standard versus a traction table (ST, TT), and (2) operating times, limb-length radiography and intraoperative complications.

HYPOTHESIS

Performing the anterior approach on a standard table saves installation and deinstallation time and operating time, without leading to more intraoperative complications.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A comparative retrospective study included 102 patients (mean age, 84.8±8 years; 46 ST, 56 TT). Installation time (IT) was calculated between entry in the operating room and performance of the incision; operating time (OT) between incision and closure; and deinstallation time (DT) between closure and leaving the operating room.

RESULTS

Mean IT in ST (25.5±6.2min) was significantly shorter than in TT (33.9±6.2min) (p=1.1*10^-9), as were DT (13±4.7 versus 17±3.4min) (p=4.1*10^-6) and OT (73.5±15.9 versus 82.6±21.3minutes) (p=0.01). There were 4 intraoperative complications: 1 greater trochanter fracture in ST and 2 greater trochanter fractures and 1 proximal femoral fracture in TT. Limb-length discrepancy was comparable between ST (3.7±3.2mm (range, 0-15mm)) and TT (5.3±4.6mm (range, 0-20mm)) (p=0.06).

DISCUSSION

Patient installation on a standard table reduced installation, deinstallation and operating time compared to use of a traction table, without increasing the complications rate.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

III, case-control study.

ALDI (Anterior Lateral Decubitus Intermuscular) approach to the hip: Comprehensive description of the surgical technique with operative video

The direct anterior approach to the hip is judged to be difficult and even after many solutions, such as special operating tables, have been proposed to perform it, in some reports the complication rate remains high. The complications reported are nerve lesions, dislocation, muscles damages, intraoperative fractures. We describe a modification of the anterior approach, undertaken keeping the patient in lateral decubitus, in order to gain a better range of leg movement and a significant reduction of the force applied to the retractors, the technique was named ALDI (anterior lateral decubitus intermuscular) approach. The surgeon starts behind the patient as in all the other traditional approaches, to maintain unchanged the acetabular view and the dexterity in cup implantation. For the femoral preparation, he moves in front of the patient to have a better visualization. In a series of 150 patients, with a mean operative time of 51.38minutes (range, 40-112), we had no intraoperative fractures, one (0.6%) lateral femoral cutaneous nerve temporary neurapraxia, one (0.8%) posttraumatic dislocation four years after the operation and, no revisions for aseptic loosening or infection. At the 5 years follow-up, the mean Oxford Hip score was 45.2 (range, 38-48; SD 2.6), the mean Harris Hip Score was 96,7 (range, 76-100; SD 2.8), and the mean UCLA score was 7 (range, 5-10; SD 1.4). The possibility to always obtain the optimal position of the surgical window with reduced tension on the muscles, and the unchanged initial surgeon position, could make the ALDI approach the ideal technique for the surgeons that decide to perform an anterior approach.