Model-Based Acetabular Cup Orientation Optimization Based On Minimizing the Risk of Edge-Loading and Implant Impingement Following Total Hip Arthroplasty

Hip-spine relationship: clinical evidence and biomechanical issues

The hip-spine relationship is a critical consideration in total hip arthroplasty (THA) procedures. While THA is generally successful in patient, complications such as instability and dislocation can arise. These issues are significantly influenced by the alignment of implant components and the overall balance of the spine and pelvis, known as spinopelvic balance. Patients with alteration of those parameters, in particular rigid spines, often due to fusion surgery, face a higher risk of THA complications, with an emphasis on complications in instability, impingement and dislocation. For these reasons, over the years, computer modelling and simulation techniques have been developed to support clinicians in the different steps of surgery. The aim of the current review is to present current knowledge on hip-spine relationship to serve as a common platform of discussion among clinicians and engineers. The offered overview aims to update the reader on the main critical aspects of the issue, from both a theoretical and practical perspective, and to be a valuable introductory tool for those approaching this problem for the first time.

Quantification of soft tissue artifacts using CT registration and subject-specific multibody modeling

The potential use of gait analysis for quantitative preoperative planning in total hip arthroplasty (THA) has previously been demonstrated. However, the joint kinematic data measured through this process tend to be unreliable for surgical planning due to distortions caused by soft tissue artifacts (STAs). In this study, we developed a novel motion capture framework by combining computed tomography (CT)-based postural calibration and subject-specific multibody dynamics modeling to prevent the effect of STAs in measuring hip kinematics. Three subjects with femoroacetabular impingement syndrome were recruited, and CT data for each patient were collected by attaching marker clusters near the hip. A subject-specific multibody hip joint model was developed based on reconstructed CT data. Spring-dashpot network calculations were performed to minimize the distance between the anatomical landmark and its corresponding infrared reflective marker. The STAs of the thigh was described as six degrees of freedom viscoelastic bushing elements, and their parameter values were identified via smooth orthogonal decomposition. Least squares optimization was used to modify the pelvic rotations to compensate for the rigid components of STAs. The results showed that CT-assisted motion tracking enabled the successful identification of STA influences in gait and squat positions. Furthermore, STA effects were found to alter maximal pelvis tilt and hip rotations during a squat. Compared to other techniques, such as dual fluoroscopic imaging, the adopted framework does not require additional medical imaging for patients undergoing robot-assisted THA surgery and is thus a practical way of evaluating hip joint kinematics for preoperative surgical planning.

Hip arthroplasty dislocation risk calculator: evaluation of one million primary implants and twenty-five thousand dislocations with deep learning artificial intelligence in a systematic review of reviews

PURPOSE

This paper aims to provide an overview of the possibility regarding the artificial intelligence application in orthopaedics to predict dislocation with a calculator according to the type of implant (hemiarthroplasty, standard total hip arthroplasty, dual mobility, constrained cups) after primary arthroplasty.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Among 75 results for primary arthroplasties, 26 articles were reviews on dislocation after hemiarthroplasty, 40 after standard total hip arthroplasty, seven about primary dual-mobility arthroplasty (DM THA), and two reviews about constrained implants. Although our search method for systematic reviews covers ten years (2012-2022), none for dual mobility was published before 2016, showing a recent explosion of original articles on this subject. A total of 1,069,565 implants and 26,488 dislocations in primary arthroplasties are included in these 75 reviews. We used a supervised learning model in which models assign objects to groups as input and artificial neural network (ANN) with nodes, hidden layers, and output layers. We considered only four implant types as the input layer. We considered the patient's factors (indication for THA, demographics, spine surgery, and neurologic disease) as the second input values (hidden layer). We considered the implant position as the third input (hidden layer) property including head size, combined anteversion, or spinopelvic alignment. Surgery-related factors, approach, capsule repair, etc. were the fourth input values (hidden layer). The output was a post-operative dislocation or not within three months.

RESULTS

The accuracy for predicting dislocation with this systematic review was 95%. Dislocation risk, based on the type of implant, was wide-ranging, from 0 to 3.9% (mean 0.31%) for the 3045 DM THA, from 0.2 to 1.2% (overall 0.91%) for the 457 constrained liners, from 1.76 to 4.2% (mean 2.1%) for 895,734 conventional total hip arthroplasties, and from 0.76 to 12.2% (mean 4.5%) for 170,329 hemiarthroplasties. In the conventional THA group, many factors increase the risk of dislocation according to the calculator, and only a few (big head, anterior approach) decrease the risk, but not very significantly. In the hemiarthroplasty group, many factors can increase the risk of dislocation until 30%, but none could decrease the risk. According to the calculator, the DM THA and the constrained liner markedly decreased the risk and were not affected by implant position, spine surgery, and spinopelvic position.

CONCLUSION

To our knowledge, this study is the first to yield an implant-specific dislocation risk calculator that incorporates the patient's comorbidities, the position of components, and surgery factors affecting instability risk.

Achieving Precise Cup Positioning in Direct Anterior Total Hip Arthroplasty: A Narrative Review

Malpositioned implants in total hip arthroplasty are associated with impingement, increased wear, and dislocations, thus precise cup positioning is crucial. However, significant deviations between targeted and actually achieved cup positions have been found even in patients operated by experienced surgeons. When aiming for higher accuracy, various methods based on freehand positioning lead by anatomic landmarks, C-arm fluoroscopy, imageless navigation, or robotic-assisted-surgery have been described. There is a constant development of new products aiming to simplify and improve intraoperative guidance. Both the literature and expert opinions on this topic are often quite controversial. This article aims to give an overview of the different methods and systems with their specific advantages and potential pitfalls while also taking a look into the future of cup positioning in anterior hip replacements.

Degree of Pelvic Rotation in the Coronal Plane on Postoperative Radiographs Obtained after Total Hip Arthroplasty

There are many published cup anteversion measurements for postoperative total hip arthroplasty (THA), including Liaw’s, Lewinnek’s, and Murray’s methods. However, most measurements ignore the potential pelvic rotation on radiographs except in Liaw’s method. Without considering pelvic rotation, clinicians can miscalculate cup anteversion. Therefore, we aimed to quantify the mean degree of pelvic rotation. Herein, we collected 388 radiographs of 98 postoperative THA hips of 77 patients and measured pelvic rotation by measuring h, the horizontal displacement of the sacrococcygeal junction associated with the upper pole of the symphysis pubis, and ssd, the distance between the sacrococcygeal junction and pubic symphysis. The angle θ of pelvic rotation was defined as θ = arc sin (h/ssd) × (180°/π). The mean degree of pelvic rotation was then calculated. The standard deviation of h was 7.84 mm, and the mean ssd was 158 mm. The potential pelvic rotation was 2.50°. The p-values from the paired t-test were all >0.05 when interobserver and intraobserver errors were assessed. This is the first study to quantify the potential pelvic rotation in the coronal plane on postoperative plain radiographs. The potential pelvic rotation was too large to be neglected during the measurement of cup anteversion.