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.

Acute Acetabular Protrusion: the Hardinge Approach for Implant Removal and One-stage Hip Reconstruction

Acute penetration of a total hip arthroplasty into the pelvic cavity is a grave and potentially catastrophic scenario. Fortunately, this complication is uncommon and rarely encountered during a surgical career. Currently, a two-stage procedure is favoured by most surgeons, but the evidence for this is unconvincing and may expose the patient to unnecessary risks. Furthermore, a two-stage approach may be more suitable for the more common chronic migration of a loose acetabular shell, which fundamentally differs from acute pelvic penetration. We present the case of a 76-year-old man referred to our institution for reconstructive surgery following acute pelvic penetration of the acetabular shell during total hip arthroplasty. We used a single-stage Hardinge approach to retrieve the shell and successfully reconstruct the acetabulum. Specific indications for using this method are proposed. In carefully selected cases of intrapelvic implants, a single-stage method can improve patient outcomes while minimising unnecessary risks associated with the conventional two-stage approach.

Femoral neck fracture patients with ischaemic stroke choose hemiarthroplasty or constrained liner total hip arthroplasty? A retrospective comparative study of 199 cases

Background

The objective of this study was to assess the long-term survival rate, complications, as well as the clinical and radiological outcomes of hemiarthroplasty and total hip arthroplasty using constrained polyethylene liners in patients with ischemic stroke.

Methods

This study was a retrospective cohort study that included patients with ischemic stroke who underwent hip arthroplasty from March 2010 to September 2017. In the Constrained Acetabular Liners (CAL) group, patients received an uncemented acetabular shell with a constrained polyethylene liner. The Dual Mobility (DM) group underwent hemiarthroplasty (HA). Additionally, hip function, range of motion, quality of life, the incidence of clinical complications, and prosthesis stability were investigated.

Results

96 patients with unilateral femoral neck fractures who underwent hip replacement with CAL were included in the CAL group, while 103 patients who underwent hip replacement with a dual mobility head were included in the DM group. VAS, and SF-36 data were available for both CAL and DM groups. At the 1-year postoperative follow-up, the HHS in the CAL group was significantly lower than that in the DM group (80.83 ± 3.91 vs. 83.17 ± 4.15, P < 0.05). The VAS score in the CAL group peaked at the 1-year follow-up (2.07 ± 0.91 vs. 1.49 ± 0.85, P < 0.05). However, there were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of HSS, VAS, and SF-36 at the last follow-up after surgery. Operative time and the amount of bleeding in the DM group were significantly lower than those in the CAL group (105.30 ± 29.68 vs. 94.85 ± 31.07; 355.11 ± 123.95 vs. 302.22 ± 107.68, P < 0.05). Additionally, there was no significant difference in the mean leg length discrepancy between the two groups.

Conclusion

The clinical, imaging, and postoperative complications of the CAL and DM groups were analyzed. The prognosis for DM appears to be more beneficial for early patient recovery, but a higher likelihood of recurrent dislocation is observed. CAL offers excellent stability for primary THA in high-risk patients; however, attention should be given to preventing aseptic loosening.

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.

Outcome of Dual Mobility Constructs for Adverse Local Tissue Reaction Associated Abductor Deficiency in Revision Total Hip Arthroplasty

BACKGROUND

Treatment of adverse local tissue reaction (ALTR) is challenging owing to high complications and poor outcomes after a revision surgery. As dislocation is the most common cause of reoperation, it is often necessary to use advanced articulations such as dual mobility. This study aims to evaluate the outcome and complication rates after revision surgery with dual mobility constructs, compared to constrained and conventional articulations in the setting of significant abductor deficiency due to ALTR.

METHODS

Out of a total of 338 revision total hip arthroplasties for ALTR, 234 patients with a significant tissue necrosis and abductor muscle insufficiency (grade 3) were evaluated. The complication rates after revisions were compared between 42 hips with dual mobility implants, 24 hips with constrained liners, 104 hips with large diameter heads (36-40 mm), and 64 hips with small diameter heads (≤32 mm).

RESULTS

After an average of 4 years of follow-up (2.8-8.6), the dual mobility articulation had no dislocation, compared to 4.1% and 15.5% for constrained liner and conventional articulations, respectively (P < .001). Utilization of dual mobility and constrained liner cup also did not increase the risk of nondislocation complications, including periprosthetic joint infection and periprosthetic fracture (P = .18 and .52).

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrates significantly lower dislocation rates for dual mobility when compared to conventional articulations and comparable to constrained liners in cases of severe abductor deficiency due to ALTR, suggesting that dual mobility implants are viable surgical treatment alternatives to constrained liners to minimize dislocation during revision total hip arthroplasty in the setting of significant abductor deficiency due to ALTR.

A Catastrophic Cascade of Postoperative Complications Following Hemiarthroplasty for Femoral Neck Fracture in a Middle-Aged Patient With Schizophrenia

The treatment of a patient with schizophrenia suffering a subcapital hip fracture may be challenging, mainly due to the high risk of postoperative medical and surgical complications. Mechanical complications from the implant are also frequently encountered following hip arthroplasty in patients with schizophrenia. We report the case of a 57-year-old male patient with schizophrenia who underwent hip hemiarthroplasty for a displaced femoral neck fracture. During the initial postoperative period, the patient developed a cascade of surgical and mechanical complications, leading to multiple revision procedures and a suboptimal outcome. The ideal type of treatment of patients with schizophrenia with subcapital hip fracture is still missing. It is, therefore, important to highlight the high risk of postoperative complications in patients with schizophrenia who present with subcapital fractures subsequently treated with hemiarthroplasty. 

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.

Constrained Liner Revision Is Less Effective With Each Subsequent Constrained Liner Revision at Preventing Instability

BACKGROUND

Constrained liners are used to treat recurring total hip arthroplasty dislocations in certain patients. Little is known about the fate of constrained liner revisions. The aim of this study is to evaluate the rate and survivorship free of revision for mechanical failure of constrained liners in patients who were revised to their first, second, and third constrained liners.

METHODS

From 1989 to 2016, using our institution's total joint registry, we identified 554 revisions to a first constrained liner. Of the 554, 40 had mechanical failure of their index constrained liner and had revision to a second constrained liner. Of the 40, 13 had mechanical failure of their second constrained liner and had revision to a third constrained liner. Patients included in the failure analysis had minimum 2-year follow-up, with a mean follow-up of 5.5 years.

RESULTS

In patients receiving their first, second, and third constrained liners, the survivorship free of revision for mechanical failure at 4 years was 90%, 52%, and 28%, respectively. Patients with a second and third constrained liner were more likely to have a revision for mechanical failure (second odds ratio 8, P < .0001; third odds ratio 10, P < .0001) compared to those receiving their first constrained liner. Using a different constrained liner did not decrease the risk of failure.

CONCLUSION

After revision to a second or third constrained liner there is high rate of mechanical failure. When a total hip arthroplasty becomes unstable after constrained liner, surgeons should exercise caution before revising to another constrained liner.

High Rate of Failure After Revision of a Constrained Liner

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study was to examine the outcomes of repeat revision after failure of a constrained liner.

METHODS

We reviewed 1212 consecutive revisions and identified 74 (6%) revisions of a failed constrained liner in 46 patients with a mean age of 65 years. The most common reasons for revision of a constrained liner were recurrent instability (64.9%) and infection (25.7%).

RESULTS

At a mean of 35 months, 42 of the 74 hips (57%) required repeat revision. Kaplan-Meier revision-free survival was 24% at 10 years. Thirty-two of the 74 revisions (43%) had a dislocation event after the index revision. Kaplan-Meier dislocation-free survival was 43% at 10 years. There was a higher failure rate among the 34 patients with abductor deficiency (hazard ratio 1.90, 95% confidence interval, 1.06-3.43; P = .032).

CONCLUSION

Patients undergoing revision of a failed constrained liner have a high likelihood of recurrent dislocation and repeat revision surgery.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level IV.

Cementation of a Dual Mobility Construct in Recurrently Dislocating and High Risk Patients Undergoing Revision Total Arthroplasty

BACKGROUND

Recurrent instability remains a challenge after revision total hip arthroplasty (THA). We report the outcomes of cementing a cementless dual mobility (DM) component into a stable acetabular shell for the treatment and/or prevention of instability in revision THA.

METHODS

Eighteen patients (18 THAs) undergoing revision THA with a specific monoblock DM construct cemented into a new acetabular component or an existing well-fixed component from 2011 to 2014 were retrospectively reviewed. Tumor prostheses and total femoral replacements were excluded. In 9 patients (50%), components were implanted specifically for recurrent dislocations. Mean age was 64 years; mean follow-up was 3 years. Patients underwent an average of 4 prior hip operations (range 2-6).

RESULTS

No cemented DM cups dissociated at the cement-cup interface. Three patients (17%) experienced a postoperative dislocation. One required a revision to constrained liner and 2 underwent open reduction with retention of the DM construct. Harris Hip Scores improved from 53 to 82 postoperatively (P < .001).

CONCLUSION

Cementation of a monoblock cup DM construct, an off-label use as the construct is not specifically made for cementation, into a well-fixed acetabular component provides an alternative to enhance prosthetic stability in (1) recurrently dislocating THAs with well fixed, well-positioned acetabular components and (2) complex acetabular reconstructions in which constraint should be avoided. While not a perfect solution in this series, DM constructs provide a number of advantages including no added constraint at the interface and a large effective femoral head to diminish prosthetic impingement.

Outcome of Revision Total Hip Arthroplasty in Management of Failed Metal-on-Metal Hip Arthroplasty

BACKGROUND

This is a retrospective review of the functional outcomes and complications of revision total hip arthroplasty (THA) of failed metal-on-metal (MoM) hip arthroplasty.

METHODS

A total of 20 revision THAs were performed in 19 patients. Of them, 2 cases were failed hip resurfacing, and 18 cases were failed (MoM) THA. The mean age at revision (THA) was 59.35 years (standard deviation [SD] 9.83).

RESULTS

The mean follow-up was 45 months (SD 13.98). The indications of revision were aseptic loosening of acetabular component without adverse local tissue reaction (ALTR; 10 hips), aseptic loosening of the acetabular and femoral components without ALTR (1 hip), painful hip associated with ALTR (6 hips), iliopsoas impingement associated with a large-diameter femoral head or malpositioned acetabular component (3 hips). The acetabular components were revised in 18 hips using Trabecular Metal Modular cups. The femoral components were revised in 3 hips. A constrained acetabular liner was used in 5 hips. The Harris hip score significantly improved from 48.4 (SD 12.98) to 83.25 (SD 10.08). There were 2 complications (1 foot drop and 1 superficial infection) and 1 failure (recurrent dislocation) that required revision to a constrained liner.

CONCLUSION

Early results of revision THA of failed MoM hip arthroplasty showed improvement in pain and functional outcome. No case of failed bone ingrowth was noted with the use of Trabecular Metal Modular cups. Extensive soft tissue and abductor muscles dysfunctions were common. A constrained acetabular component with repair of the hip abductors might be beneficial.

Midterm Survivorship of the Lefèvre Constrained Liner: A Consecutive Multisurgeon Series of 166 Cases

BACKGROUND

Constrained liners are used as part of a salvage procedure to provide stability for patients at high risk for dislocation after a total hip arthroplasty. However, no recent studies exist highlighting their effectiveness and/or limitations.

METHOD

This prospective review included 166 consecutive hip arthroplasties, either primary (27%) or revision (73%), with a unique design of a constrained liner: Lefèvre retentive cup. There were 113 females (69%), and the average age at index surgery was 75.9 years (range, 35-94). The mean follow-up was 6.2 years (range, 0.3-11).

RESULTS

Twenty patients had a reoperation; 10 for infection (4 acute and 6 chronic joint infection) and 10 for cup failure (5 fixation failure, 3 aseptic loosening, and 2 dislocation). Ten-year survivals for cup revision were 89% (CI, 83-94) and 92% (CI, 89-97) for all revision and revision for noninfectious reasons, respectively. When solely evaluating for dislocation, the survival at 10 years was 99% (CI, 97-100). Considering primary and revision cases, 10-year survivals cup revision for aseptic reasons were 92.4% (CI, 84-100) and 92.5% (CI, 87-98), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The Lefèvre retentive cup demonstrated excellent 10-year's survivorship. With the rate of aseptic loosening around 2% and a dislocation rate around 1%, the cup is as effective as other available devices and is therefore a cost-effective tool to reduce the risk of dislocation in at-risk patients undergoing hip arthroplasty.

High Failure Rate of Modular Exchange With a Specific Design of a Constrained Liner in High-Risk Patients Undergoing Revision Total Hip Arthroplasty

BACKGROUND

Addressing recurrent instability in patients with poor bone stock and inadequate abductor tensioning remains a challenge in revision total hip arthroplasty. One treatment method is implantation of a constrained liner. The purpose of this study was to determine clinical outcomes, redislocation rate, and revisions of a focally constrained liner in a high-risk patient cohort.

METHODS

Fifty-eight hips between 2008 and 2011 underwent implantation of a focally constrained liner. Nineteen were placed concurrent with acetabular component revision and 39 were placed into a well-fixed acetabular shell. Mean age was 69 years and mean number of previous ipsilateral hip surgeries was 4.2. At mean follow-up of 3.5 years, we analyzed clinical outcomes, redislocation, and revisions.

RESULTS

Mean Harris Hip Scores was 74. Fourteen hips (24%) were revised and 3 hips (5%) required reoperation at final follow-up. Eleven hips (19%) redislocated at a mean time to dislocation of 12.2 months; 31% (11 of 36 patients) that underwent modular exchange specifically for instability redislocated. Risk factors for redislocation included number of previous surgeries (P = .013), implantation of a 28 mm femoral head (hazards ratio 12.8), revision indication of instability (P = .04), and modular exchange with constrained liner implantation without acetabular shell revision (P = .01).

CONCLUSION

Implantation of a focally constrained liner in revision total hip arthroplasty for recurrent instability has a high failure rate, especially with a modular exchange. Although concurrent acetabular revision had a lower redislocation rate, the decision to revise a well-fixed cup should be weighed with potential complications associated with cup revision.

Comparison of Tibial Insert Polyethylene Damage in Rotating Hinge and Highly Constrained Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Retrieval Analysis

This study compared the damage scores and damage patterns in 19 tibial inserts from rotating hinge (RH) implants with 19 inserts from highly constrained (HC) implants. Each insert was divided into 16 damage zones and each zone was subjectively graded from a scale of 0-3 for seven different damage modes. The overall damage scores were comparable for the two groups (RH: 64.1 ± 15.4; HC: 66.1 ± 29.0; P = 0.59). The HC group, however, had greater post damage (compared to the post-hole of RH) while the RH group had greater backside damage. The pattern of damage was also different, with burnishing and cold flow being more common in HC group while pitting, scratching and embedded debris were more common in the RH group.

The Cumulative Risk of Re-dislocation After Revision THA Performed for Instability Increases Close to 35% at 15years

A retrospective analysis was conducted on 539 hips undergoing revision total hip arthroplasty done for instability to report the cumulative risk and factors associated with re-dislocation and re-revision. The cumulative risk of re-dislocation and re-revision for all cause was 34.5% and 45.9% at 15 years, respectively. Multiple variable analyses revealed history of 2 or more previous surgeries, use of head size less than 36 mm, and cup retention to be risk factors for re-dislocation and re-revision. The use of a constrained liner was protective against re-dislocation but was not associated with a lower re-revision rate. Understanding the risk factors associated with re-dislocation or re-revision may help with perioperative decision making in order to decrease the high failure rate seen in this study.

Successful closed reduction of a dislocated constrained total hip arthroplasty: a case report and literature review

Many surgeons use acetabular components with constrained polyethylene liners to improve stability after total hip arthroplasty in patients with a history of hip dislocation. Surgical treatment is generally thought to be the only available option for the dislocated constrained liner. The success rate and clinical results of closed reduction for such patients is unclear. This report presents a case of a successful closed reduction of a dislocated constrained liner. Few papers have so far addressed closed reduction of a dislocated constrained liner. Furthermore, previous studies reported a variety of components. Publication of additional successful and unsuccessful case reports is therefore needed to help establish the optimal treatment protocol for a dislocated constrained liner.