Freedom Constrained Liner for the Treatment and Prevention of Dislocation in Total Hip Arthroplasty

Pseudarthrosis of Pelvic Fracture With Charcot Arthropathy Successfully Treated With Constrained Total Hip Arthroplasty

Charcot arthropathy is a rapidly progressive and destructive form of arthropathy caused by various neurological diseases. Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is usually contraindicated in patients with Charcot arthropathy; however, recent studies have reported good results following THA in this patient population. Herein, we report a case of Charcot arthropathy secondary to syphilis in a patient who was successfully treated with constrained THA, a new type of THA. A 56-year-old man was injured in a car accident, and a displaced acetabular fracture was revealed three weeks later. He was treated conservatively but soon developed greater displacement of the fracture and femoral head destruction. The patient was referred to our hospital for further treatment. The patient had pelvic pseudarthrosis secondary to Charcot arthropathy at the time of the first visit to our hospital. First, THA was performed with the acetabular reconstruction of the deficient bone. However, the acetabular implant was displaced one week postoperatively. THA revision was performed using a constrained cup. Postoperatively, the patient exhibited good hip stability without dislocation. However, displacement of the acetabular cup occurred one year after the second surgery. We performed a re-revision of THA using a new type of constrained cup that offers a high level of constraint to maintain range of motion (ROM) and prevent dislocations. The patient was able to walk with a T-cane one year postoperatively. Herein, we report a difficult case of revision THA in a patient with Charcot arthropathy concomitant with syphilis. THA is usually contraindicated in patients with Charcot arthropathy; however, we propose that THA using constrained cups that offer a wider ROM may be a useful therapeutic strategy for the treatment of Charcot arthropathy.

Short term outcomes (average follow up of 2.4 years) of a constrained acetabular liner in primary and revision total hip arthroplasty

BACKGROUND

As instability continues to be a burden post total hip arthroplasty (THA), there has been a controversial discussion on the ideal implant choice. We report here the outcomes of a modern constrained acetabular liner (CAL) system in primary and revision THA at an average follow up of 2.4 years.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective study of all patients undergoing primary and revision hip arthroplasty and being implanted with the modern CAL system from 2013 to 2021. We identified 31 hips, of which 13 underwent primary THA and the remaining 18 underwent revision THA for instability.

RESULTS

Of those implanted with CAL primarily, 3 had concomitant abductor tear repair and gluteus maximus transfer, 5 had Parkinson's disease, 2 had inclusion body myositis, 1 had amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and the remaining 2 were above 94 years of age. All patients implanted with the CAL were as a result of active instability post-primary THA and underwent only liner and head exchange without revision of the acetabular or femoral components. At an average follow up of 2.4 years (range, 9 months to 5 years and 4 months), we had 1 case (3.2 %) of dislocation post-CAL implantation. None of the patients undergoing surgery with CAL for active instability had a re-dislocation.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, a constrained acetabular liner provides excellent stability in both primary THA in high risk individuals and revision THA in cases of active instability. There were no dislocations when using a constrained acetabular liner to treat active instability post THA.

Constrained liners revisited: favourable mid-term results in patients with high-risk of dislocation: technical considerations for the optimal outcome

BACKGROUND

The outcomes of constrained liners (CLs) in total hip arthroplasty (THA) remain inconclusive. We evaluated the mid-term performance of CLs in a consecutive series of high-risk dislocation patients undergoing primary or revision THA performed by a single surgeon. The survival, dislocation rate, complications, and functional patients' scores were assessed. Surgical tips to enhance outcomes were reviewed.

METHODS

45 patients who received the Trident Tripolar CL between 2010 to 2019 were retrospectively evaluated from Arthroplasty Registry Thessaloniki. There were 17 primary and 28 revision THAs. The primary indications for using CL were severe abductor insufficiency or comorbidities, increasing the dislocation risk in primary, and recurrent dislocation or abductor insufficiency in revision THAs. The mean patient's age was 68.5 (±14.5) years, and the mean follow-up 3.81 (±1.66) years.

RESULTS

There were 2 dislocations and 1 deep infection in the revision group. For any reason, the cumulative 6-year survival rate was 93.3%, 100% for primary, and 89.3% for revision THAs. The mean overall CL survival was 76.3 months for any reason (95% CI, 68.1-84.5) and 80.5 months for dislocation (95% CI, 75.8-85.2). The mean postoperative functional scores were significantly improved (p < 0.001) at the latest follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

CLs can provide hip stability and durable fixation in selected low-demand patients with high-risk for dislocation after primary and revision THA at mid-term follow-up. Careful patient selection and the refined surgical technique aiming at the neutral liner position and considering the high CLs' offset relative to stem-neck impingement are necessary to maximise outcomes.

Outcome and risk factors of failures associated with revision total hip arthroplasty for recurrent dislocation

INTRODUCTION

Recurrent dislocation represents the third most common cause of revision surgery after total hip arthroplasty (THA). However, there is a paucity of information on the outcome of revision total hip arthroplasty for recurrent dislocation. In this study, we investigated (1) clinical outcomes of patients that underwent revision THA for recurrent dislocation, and (2) potential risk factors associated with treatment failure in patients who underwent revision total hip arthroplasty for recurrent dislocation.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed 211 consecutive cases of revision total hip arthroplasty for recurrent dislocation, 81 implanted with a constrained liner and 130 with a non-constrained liner with a large-diameter femoral head (> 32 mm). Patient- and implant-related risk factors were analyzed in multivariate regression analysis.

RESULTS

At 4.6-year follow-up, 32 of 211 patients (15.1%) underwent re-revision surgery. The most common causes for re-revision included infection (14 patients) and dislocation (10 patients). Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrates a 5-year survival probability of 77% for patients that underwent revision THA for recurrent dislocation. Osteoporosis, obesity (BMI ≥ 40), spine disease and abductor deficiency are independent risk factors for failure of revision surgery for recurrent dislocation. Liner type (constrained vs. non-constrained) was found not to be associated with failure of revision THA for recurrent dislocation (p = 0.44).

CONCLUSION

This study suggests that THA revision for recurrent dislocation is associated with a high re-revision rate of 15% at mid-term follow-up. Osteoporosis, obesity (BMI ≥ 40) spine disease and abductor deficiency were demonstrated to be independent risk factors for failure of revision THA for recurrent dislocation.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level III, case-control retrospective analysis.

Acetabular Component and Liner Selection for the Prevention of Dislocation After Primary Total Hip Arthroplasty

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Primary total hip arthroplasty (THA) is a reproducible and efficacious procedure for patients with end-stage osteoarthritis; however, dislocation remains the most common cause of revision arthroplasty.

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Technological advancements in acetabular component design and liner options, in conjunction with a more comprehensive understanding of the spinopelvic factors that influence dislocation, will likely reduce the risk of dislocation and revision over time.

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The contemporary liner and shell options for primary THA, in order of increasing constraint and stability, include (1) neutral, (2) lateralized, (3) face-changing (oblique), (4) lipped (high-wall) with or without lateralization, (5) modular and anatomic dual-mobility, and (6) constrained options.

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Different liner designs can alter functional anteversion, inclination, and jump distance, and can be used to minimize a single predictable dislocation vector (lipped [high-wall] liners) or multiple vectors of instability risk when the dislocation direction is unpredictable (dual-mobility liners).

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Liner selection should be based on the patient-specific risk of dislocation, including static anatomic (e.g., large anterior inferior iliac spine or greater trochanter morphology), dynamic anatomic (e.g., limited sitting-standing change in the sacral slope), and demographic or medical (e.g., neurocognitive disorders and obesity) risk factors.

Survivorship and Clinical Outcomes of Constrained Acetabular Liners in Primary and Revision Total Hip Arthroplasty: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

Several studies have evaluated the survivorship and clinical outcomes of constrained acetabular liners (CALs) in complex primary and revision total hip arthroplasty with hip instability; however, there remains no consensus on the overall performance of this constrained implant. We therefore performed a systematic review of the literature to examine survivorship and complication rate of CAL usage.

METHODS

A systematic review of the literature in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines was performed. A comprehensive search of PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews was conducted for English articles using various combinations of keywords.

RESULTS

In all, 37 articles met the inclusion criteria. A total of 4152 CALs were implanted. The all-cause reoperation-free survivorship was 79.9%. The overall complication rate was 22.2%. Dislocation was the most common complications observed and the most frequent reason for reoperation with an incidence of 9.4% and 9.2%, respectively. Infection after CAL placement had an incidence of 4.6%. The reoperation rate for aseptic acetabular component loosening was 2.9%. Overall, patients had improved outcomes as documented by postoperative hip scores.

CONCLUSION

CALs usage have a relatively high complication rate, particularly when compared with current bearing alternatives (dual mobility cups and large diameter femoral heads), however, it remains a valuable salvage procedure in complex patients affected by recurrent dislocation and implant instability. Newer designs have shown reduced impingement and higher survivorship free from dislocation. However, CALs should only be used when the reasons of instability have been correctly recognized and optimized.

Risk Factors for Dislocation and Re-revision After First-Time Revision Total Hip Arthroplasty due to Recurrent Dislocation - A Study From the Danish Hip Arthroplasty Register

BACKGROUND

Persistent instability after hip revision is a serious problem. Our aim was to analyze surgical and patient-related risk factors for both a new dislocation and re-revision after first-time hip revision due to dislocation.

METHODS

We included patients with a primary THA due to osteoarthritis and a first-time revision due to dislocation registered in the Danish Hip Arthroplasty Register (DHR) from 1996 to 2016. We identified dislocations in the Danish National Patient Register and re-revisions in the DHR. Risk factors were analyzed by a multivariable regression analysis adjusting for the competing risk of death. Results are presented as subdistribution hazard ratios (sHR).

RESULTS

We identified 1678 first-time revisions due to dislocation. Of these, 22.4% had a new dislocation. 19.8% were re-revised for any reason. With new dislocations treated by closed reduction as the endpoint, the sHR was 0.36 (95% CI, 0.27-0.48) for those who had a constrained liner (CL) during revision and 0.21 (0.08-0.58) for dual mobility cups (DMC), thereby lowering the risk of dislocation compared to regular liners. Changing only the head/liner increased the risk of dislocation (sHR = 2.65; 2.05-3.42) compared to full cup revisions. The protective effect of CLs and DMCs on dislocations vanished when re-revisions became the endpoint. The head/liner exchange was still found inferior compared to cup revision (sHR = 1.73; 1.34-2.23).

CONCLUSION

Patients revised with DMCs and CLs were associated with a lower risk of dislocation after a first-time revision but not re-revision, whereas only changing the head/liner was associated with a higher risk of dislocation and re-revision of any cause compared to cup revision.

Instability After All-Cause Acetabular-Only Revision Total Hip Arthroplasty Remains a Clinical Problem

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study is to (1) evaluate the rate of instability and reoperation after acetabular component-only revision, (2) compare instability rates across various head sizes, and (3) determine patient factors correlating with postoperative instability.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed all isolated acetabular component revisions (n = 200) at our institution between 2007 and 2017. Patients with less than one-year follow-up were excluded. Patients were subdivided into 4 head size groups: (1) 32 mm or less, (2) 36 mm or more, (3) dual mobility, and (4) constrained liners. Factors including the body mass index, cup position, prior revision(s), and subsequent reoperation were compared across groups.

RESULTS

189 patients (200 hips) met the inclusion criteria. The overall rate of instability was 12% (n = 24), and 37 (18.5%) cases underwent subsequent revision, including 11 cases for recurrent instability. There was no significant difference in postoperative dislocation or reoperation for instability across the various groups. The use of a constrained liner trended toward the highest rate of postoperative instability (36.4%, P = .090). History of preoperative instability was a significant risk factor for postoperative instability with or without history of prior revision (P = .011 and P = .001, respectively).

CONCLUSION

Contemporary isolated acetabular revision is still associated with significant rates of instability. Surprisingly, the head size was not a predictive factor for postoperative dislocation or reoperation, but a prior history of instability was associated with postoperative instability. Patients revised to a constrained liner experienced highest rates of failure and remain an unsolved clinical problem.

Dual mobility acetabular construct with freedom constrained liner for treatment of recurrent dislocations after total hip arthroplasty: A case report and literature review

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Dual-mobility bearings improve stability in total hip arthroplasty (THA) but may fail to prevent postoperative dislocation.

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Dry revision with a compatible constrained liner system can provide an effective salvage option for instability after THA.

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The unique G7 constrained liner system offers good short-term stability and range of motion.

Introduction

Recurrent dislocation after total hip arthroplasty (THA) using the dual mobility cup system can present challenges, while dual-mobility THA bearings can improve stability in both primary and revision total hip arthroplasties.

Presentation of case

A 72-year-old woman with a history of schizophrenia underwent a left primary THA using the G7 dual mobility system. Two postoperative posterior dislocations occurred within 2 months post-surgery. The patient underwent revision surgery in which the metal liner and dual mobility head were exchanged using the Freedom constrained liner system without revision of the cup and stem. As of this writing, 28 months after the revision surgery, no further dislocations have occurred. The implants are stable, and the patient has good range of motion.

Discussion

Dual-mobility bearings are utilized to improve stability in both primary and revision total hip arthroplasties, but even if the dual mobility system is chosen, it sometimes fails to prevent postoperative dislocation. Although a relatively high failure rate has been reported in THA using the constrained liner system, this patient’s clinical course suggests that the G7 Freedom constrained liner system can be an efficacious option for some patients with unstable hip joints who undergo THA using the dual mobility system.

Conclusion

A modern constrained liner system such as the G7 Freedom liner may provide an improved salvage solution for joint instability in dual mobility THA.

Comparison of Constrained Acetabular Components and Dual Mobility Cups in Revision Total Hip Arthroplasty: A Literature Review

Recurrent instability remains a common cause of failure after revision total hip arthroplasty (THA). Dual mobility (DM) cups and designs with constrained acetabular liners (CAL) have both been developed to help overcome this challenge. The aim of this report is to compare safety and efficacy outcomes of both designs based on the literature. A comprehensive literature review including published evidence on the results of DM and CAL in revision THA was performed and summarized. Available literature focusing on overall survival, dislocation, loosening, intra-prosthetic dislocation (IPD), and functional outcomes were analysed. Forty-six reports including an evaluation of 5,617 total hips were evaluated were included in the review. The included studies were divided into two distinct groups based on implantation approach: i) CAL (n=15) and ii) DM (n=31). The DM group had higher overall survival rates (94.7% vs. 81.0%), lower dislocation rates (2.6% vs. 11.0%), and lower acetabular loosening rates (1.0% vs. 2.0%) compared to the CAL group. IPDs were reported in 6 studies (mean rate, 0.6%). No differences in functional outcomes were identified due to incomplete reports. Our observations reveal that designs with CAL have poorer outcomes as compared to DM cups in revision THA. Currently, the use of DM seems more appropriate since they offer lower rates of dislocations, loosening and re-revisions in the short- and mid-term. Concerns regarding the potential of increased wear in a younger, high-demand population require additional data and evaluation by long-term studies for the DM design.

Mid-Term Survivorship of a Novel Constrained Acetabular Device

BACKGROUND

Recurrent instability after total hip arthroplasty is a difficult complication. In certain cases, a constrained acetabular device is needed to address these issues. The purpose of this study is to report the midterm outcomes and survivorship of a single novel constrained liner device.

METHODS

A retrospective review as performed on all procedures (except first stage exchange for infection) in which a Freedom Constrained (Zimmer Biomet, Warsaw, IN) liner was used between December 2003 and November 2016. Patients with 2-year minimum follow-up or failure were included, yielding a cohort of 177 patients. Procedures were 130 aseptic revisions, 40 reimplantations following infection eradication, and 7 complex primaries. The constrained mechanism was implanted in 46 hips (26%) to treat active instability and 131 hips (74%) for increased risk of instability and intraoperative instability. Patients had on average 3.4 previous surgeries.

RESULTS

With an average 7.1-year follow-up, 11 hips dislocated (6.2%), and 13 hips (7.3%) were revised for acetabular aseptic loosening, resulting in an overall constrained aseptic or mechanical failure rate of 13.6%. Nineteen hips (10.7%) failed from infection with 58% of these having had a previous infection. Patients with active instability had significantly higher failure for dislocation than patients who were at risk (15.2% vs 3%, P = .01). All-cause survival rate at 7 years was 74.8%, aseptic survival was 83.6%, and survival for instability was 91.8%.

CONCLUSION

Revision for instability remains challenging as many patients have had numerous previous surgeries and at-risk anatomy. Constrained inserts are one option to manage instability, but a high rate of recurrence can still occur.

Implant Survival of Constrained Acetabular Device in Primary Total Hip Arthroplasty Based on Data From the Finnish Arthroplasty Register

BACKGROUND

Constrained acetabular devices were developed to prevent dislocations after total hip arthroplasty (THA). However, the data on their success have been contradictory. In this study, we aimed to assess implant survival of the constrained acetabular device in primary THA based on the Finnish Arthroplasty Register data.

METHODS

A total of 373 primary THAs with constrained acetabular devices inserted from 2006 to 2017 were included. A reference group was formed on a 1:3 basis and matched for age, sex, and diagnosis, consisting of 1118 conventional THAs. Implant survival estimates using death as a competing risk were assessed with revision for any reason and for any aseptic reason as the endpoints. The Cox multiple regression models were adjusted for age, sex, and diagnosis. The mean follow-up time was 3.3 (0-12.4) years for the constrained device group and 3.8 (0-12.0) years for the reference group.

RESULTS

Overall, there were 21 revisions in the constrained device group and 49 in the reference group. The 8-year survivorship for any reason was 94% (confidence interval [CI]: 91-96) for the constrained device group and 93% (CI: 89-97) for the reference group. With revision for any aseptic reason as the endpoint, the 8-year survivorships were 97% (CI: 95-99) and 94% (CI: 90-98), respectively. During the first 1.5 years, the constrained acetabular device group had a similar revision risk (hazard ratio: 1.09 [CI: 0.57-2.07], P = .8) to that of the reference group.

CONCLUSION

The constrained acetabular device had good survival in primary THA, and our results support its continued use even in high-risk patients.

Lever-Out Resistance of Constrained Hip Liners is Sensitive to Changes in Opening Radius and Liner Design

The constrained liner is an important tool for the treatment of recurrent dislocation, which continues to represent an important challenge in total hip arthroplasty. In constrained liner design, there is a tradeoff between dislocation resistance and range of motion. However, studies investigating their sensitivity to design parameters are scant. Given the relatively high rate of failure of constrained devices, this information is critical to improving their design. This study aimed to use finite element analysis to explore the sensitivity of constrained liner-dislocation resistance to variations in liner opening radius, for two different constraining design features found in contemporary devices. Results showed that a smaller opening radius leads to increased lever-out moment. It was also observed that in liners with localized constraint, lever-out resistance is more sensitive to changes in opening radius than those with circumferential constraint. © 2019 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 37:1590-1595, 2019.

A multimodal approach prevents instability after total hip arthroplasty: A 1 year follow-up prospective study

INTRODUCTION

Joint dislocation is one of the most frequent complications after hip arthroplasty. Multiple strategies have demonstrated ability to prevent instability when used in isolation, but the effect when more than one intervention is implemented has not been measured. The purpose of this study is to assess the rate of dislocation after implementation of a protocol of combined strategies for prevention of instability.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Consecutive patients undergoing primary total hip replacement for hip osteoarthritis between February 2012 and June 2014 were included. A multimodal protocol including patient education, use of large femoral heads, posterior soft-tissue repair, and intraoperative adjustment of limb length and hip offset was applied. Dislocation episodes were documented trough medical records review and a telephonic follow-up at 3 and 12 months after surgery.

RESULTS

During the period of study 331 patients were included, mean age was 66 years and 68.8% were females. Only 0.91% of patients were lost to follow-up. Eighty-nine percent of patients received all interventions. Cumulative dislocation rate at 3 months was 0.60% and 0.90% at 12 months.

CONCLUSIONS

The implementation of a multimodal protocol for prevention of prosthesis instability produces a low rate of dislocation, which compares favorably with benchmarks. We recommend the use of a combination of multiple interventions to prevent this complication.