Acetabular and Femoral Anteversions in Standing Position are Outside the Proposed Safe Zone After Total Hip Arthroplasty

Background

Although most hip dislocations occur in either standing or sitting position, the safe zone for implant position is defined for the supine position. Our goal was to determine preoperative and postoperative pelvis and hip orientations and whether the safe zone defined in supine position can be used to assess standing radiographs.

The Effect of Functional Pelvic Tilt on the Three-Dimensional Acetabular Cup Orientation in Total Hip Arthroplasty Dislocations

BackgroundAnterior and posterior pelvic tilt appears to play a role in total hip arthroplasty (THA) stability. When changing from the standing to the sitting position, the pelvis typically rotates posteriorly while the hips flex and this affects the femoro-acetabular positions. This case-control study compares changes in 3-D acetabular cup orientation during functional pelvic tilt between posterior THA dislocations vs stable THAs.MethodsStanding and sitting 3-D cup orientation was compared between fifteen posterior dislocations vs 233 prospectively followed stable THAs. 3-D cup orientation was calculated using previously validated trigonometric algorithms on biplanar radiographs. Those algorithms combine the angles in the three anatomical planes (coronal inclination, transverse version, and sagittal ante-inclination) in the standing position with the change in sagittal pelvic tilt from standing to sitting to calculate the 3-D orientation in the sitting position.ResultsThe standing cup orientation of the dislocated THAs was only characterized by a lower coronal inclination (P = .039). Compared with the controls, from standing to sitting, they showed less posterior pelvic tilt (P < .001). This led to a significant lower coronal inclination (P < .001) and sagittal ante-inclination (P < .001) in the sitting position but similar transverse version (P = .366).ConclusionsComparing posterior THA dislocations to stable THAs, there is a lower increase of all three orientation angles from standing to sitting. This leads to a decreased sitting coronal inclination and sagittal ante-inclination which may lead to an increased risk of impingement ensued by THA instability. By contrast, the transverse version was not significantly different in both positions. This confirms the importance of biplanar data on functional cup orientation.Level of EvidenceDiagnostic, Level III.     

How Does Spinopelvic Mobility and Sagittal Functional Cup Orientation Affect Patient-Reported Outcome 1 Year after THA?—A Prospective Diagnostic Cohort Study

BackgroundThis prospective cohort study aimed to characterize how spinopelvic characteristics change post-total hip arthroplasty (THA) and determine how patient-reported outcome measures are associated with 1) individual spinopelvic mobility and 2) functional sagittal cup orientation post-THA.MethodsOne hundred consecutive patients who received unilateral THAs for end-stage hip osteoarthritis, without spinal pathology were studied. Preoperatively and postoperatively, patients underwent clinical and radiographic evaluations. Patient-reported outcomes were collected using the hip disability and osteoarthritis outcome score - physical function shortform (HOOS-PS). Radiographic parameters measured from standing and relaxed-seated radiographs, included the lumbar lordosis angle, pelvic tilt, pelvic femoral angle and cup orientation in the coronal (inclination/anteversion) and sagittal (anteinclination) planes. Spinopelvic mobility was characterized (ΔPT: “stiff” [<10°], “normal” [10°-30°], and “hypermobile” [>30°]).ResultsPreoperative spinopelvic characteristics were not associated with HOOS-PS. Post-THA, the spinopelvic characteristics changed, with less patients having spinopelvic hypermobility (7%) compared with preop (14%). Postoperatively, patients with spinopelvic hypermobility showed significantly worse HOOS-PS scores (21 ± 17 vs 21 ± 22 vs 41 ± 23; ANOVA P = .037). Sagittal but not coronal cup orientation was associated with postoperative spinopelvic characteristics. Cup anteinclination was less in the patients with postoperative spinopelvic hypermobility (27 ± 7° vs 36 ± 8° vs 36 ± 10°; ANOVA: P = .035).ConclusionWe hypothesize that spinopelvic hypermobility is secondary to impingement and reduced hip flexion; to achieve a seated position, impinging hips require more posterior pelvic tilt. Patients with spinopelvic hypermobility are likely impinging secondary to the low cup anteinclination (sagittal malorientation despite optimum coronal orientation) and thus have lower HOOS-PS compared. Sagittal assessments are thus important to adequately study hip mechanics.Level of EvidenceLevel II, diagnostic study.     

The Influence of Pelvic Tilt on the Anteversion Angle of the Acetabular Prosthesis

The concept of the “safe area” of the acetabular prosthesis has a long history and has been recognized by many scholars. It is generally believed that postoperative hip dislocation rate is low, when the acetabular anteversion angle is placed in the range of 15° ± 10°. Despite this, hip dislocation is a common complication after total hip arthroplasty. In recent years, more and more scholars have paid attention to the influence of pelvic tilt on the acetabular anteversion angle. The concept of acetabular anteversion changes as the pelvic tilt changes, and is challenging the traditional acetabular prosthesis “safe area.” This study summarized the potential influencing factors of pelvic tilt and discussed the influence of the phenomenon on the anteversion angle of total hip arthroplasty (THA) acetabular prosthesis based on the literature review. We conclude that from the supine position to standing, followed by sitting, the pelvis tends to move backward. Pelvic sagittal activity, lumbar disease (ankylosing spondylitis), lumbar fusion (lumbar fusion, spine‐pelvic fusion), and other factors related to the tilt are THA risk factors for postoperative dislocation and revision. With the change of body position, the degree of acetabular anteversion is directly related to the degree of pelvic tilt. The acetabular anteversion varies greatly, which leads to increased hip prosthesis wear and even hip dislocation. The lateral X‐ray of the spine and pelvis is recommended in supine, standing, and sitting positions before THA. In addition, the pelvic tilt should be regarded as a reference of the acetabular prosthesis in the preoperative planning of THA.     

Pelvic tilt makes acetabular cup navigation inaccurate

Background Modern navigation techniques allow precise positioning of the acetabular cup relative to the anterior pelvic plane. Variations in pelvic tilt will affect the resulting spatial orientation of the cup.

Methods We measured pelvic tilt in 30 volunteers with an inclinometer combined with an ultrasonographic position measurement system. A mathematical algorithm was developed to calculate the resulting cup position measured on standard radiographs, depending on pelvic tilt.

Results Average pelvic tilt at rest was ?4° in the lying position and ?8° in the standing position, and ranged from ?27° to +3°. Pelvic reclination of 1° will lead to functional anteversion of the cup of approximately 0.7°.

Interpretation Pelvic tilt makes navigation systems referring to the anterior plane inaccurate.     

In vivo kinematics,component alignment and hardware variables influence on the liner-to-neck clearance during chair-rising after total hip arthroplasty

BackgroundThere is an interest in quantifying dynamic hip kinematics before and after total hip arthroplasty (THA) during chair-rising: one of daily life activities.MethodsThe study consisted of 21 patients who underwent unilateral total hip arthroplasty for symptomatic osteoarthritis. We obtained continuous radiographs using a flat-panel X-ray detector while the participants rose from chair. We assessed the pre and postoperative hip joint's movements using three-dimensional-to-two-dimensional model-to-image registration techniques. We also measured minimum liner-to-neck distances at maximum hip flexion and extension as anterior and posterior liner-to-neck distances, respectively. Multivariate analyses were applied to determine which factors were associated with liner-to-neck distances.ResultsThe cup inclination, cup anteversion, and stem anteversion averaged 37.4°, 23.1°, and 30.1°, respectively. Significantly larger maximum hip flexion angle (72°) was found during chair-rising after THA compared to that before THA (63°, P < 0.01). The anterior pelvic tilt at the maximum hip flexion after THA (3° of anterior tilt) was significantly (P < 0.05) anterior compared to that before THA (1° of posterior tilt). The anterior and posterior liner-to-neck distances averaged 12.3 mm and 8.1 mm, respectively, with a significant difference (P < 0.01). No liner-to-neck contact was found in any hips. In multivariate analysis, the hip flexion angle, cup inclination, stem anteversion and head diameter were significantly associated with the anterior liner-to-neck distance (P < 0.05), the hip extension angle, cup anteversion, neck length and with or without elevated rim were significantly associated with the posterior liner-to-neck distance (P < 0.05, 0.01, 0.05, 0.01, respectively).ConclusionThis study indicates that well-positioned THA provide increased range of hip flexion with sufficient anterior liner-to-neck clearance during chair-rising. Dynamic hip kinematics, component position, and hardware variables significantly influenced on the liner-to-neck clearance under weight-bearing conditions.     

Reduced variability in cup positioning: the direct anterior surgical approach using navigation

Background and purpose Correct positioning of the acetabular component is important in total hip arthroplasty (THA). We evaluated the effect of an imageless navigation system on the accuracy of cup positioning using a minimally invasive direct anterior approach.

Methods Hip replacements were performed in 44 cadaveric hips (22 cadavers) that were divided randomly into 2 groups. In the study group, THA was performed using an imageless navigation system. In the control group, no navigation system was used. CT scans were taken postoperatively. Using 3D reconstructions, the cup position was determined in relation to the frontal pelvic plane. The goal was to place each cup at 45° of inclination and 20° of anteversion, as recommended by the manufacturer.

Results In the navigated group, there was a statistically significantly smaller range of deviation from the target angles of inclination and anteversion relative to the control group.

Interpretation We conclude that imageless navigation improves the accuracy of cup placement in minimally invasive THA using the direct anterior approach.     

Method to reduce variations of inclination angle of the acetabular component during mini-incision hip arthroplasty

Background To reduce variations of cup inclination after total hip arthroplasty using the mini-incision posterior approach, we introduced two techniques, one at a time. The first technique is measuring a pelvic tilt angle in the frontal plane in the initial lateral position in the operating room. The second technique is using a tilt-meter to adjust the direction of a cup holder. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of these techniques. Methods For 106 hips operated on, the cementless acetabular component was impacted using a cup holder targeting 45° in inclination and 20° in anteversion. These hips were divided into three consecutive groups. For the first group (30 hips), no radiograph in the lateral position was obtained, and the alignment frame of the cup holder was aligned parallel to the floor by eye measurement. For the second group (56 hips), we measured the pelvic tilt angle, and tilted the alignment frame by eye measurement. For the third group (20 hips), we measured the pelvic tilt angle and tilted the alignment frame using the tilt meter. Inclination and anteversion angles were measured on postoperative radiographs. The absolute value of the difference between the measured angle and the target angle was defined as the inclination error or anteversion error, respectively. Results The inclination error was more than 5° for 33% in the first group, 20% in the second group, and 0% in the third group (P = 0.015, chi-squared test). There was a significant difference between the first group and the third group (P = 0.0039). For the anteversion error, there were no significant differences among the three groups. Conclusions Adjustment using a tilt-meter after measuring a pelvic tilt angle is a useful method to reduce the rate of large inclination error.     

The Effect of Postural Pelvic Dynamics on the Three-dimensional Orientation of the Acetabular Cup in THA Is Patient Specific

BackgroundSagittal pelvic dynamics mainly consist of the pelvis rotating anteriorly or posteriorly while the hips flexes, and this affects the femoroacetabular or THA configuration. Thus far, it is unknown how the acetabular cup of the THA in the individual patient reorients with changing sagittal pelvic dynamics.Questions/purposesThe aim of this study was to validate a method that establishes the three-dimensional (3-D) acetabular cup orientation with changing sagittal pelvic dynamics and describe these changes during functional pelvic dynamics.MethodsA novel trigonometric mathematical model, which was incorporated into an easy-to-use tool, was tested. The model connected sagittal tilt, transverse version, and coronal inclination of the acetabular cup during sagittal pelvic tilt. Furthermore, the effect of sagittal pelvic tilt on the 3-D reorientation of acetabular cups was simulated for cups with different initial positions. Twelve pelvic CT images of patients who underwent THA were taken and rotated around the hip axis to different degrees of anterior and posterior sagittal pelvic tilt (± 30°) to simulate functional pelvic tilt in various body positions. For each simulated pelvic tilt, the transverse version and coronal inclination of the cup were manually measured and compared with those measured in a mathematical model in which the 3-D cup positions were calculated. Next, this model was applied to different acetabular cup positions to simulate the effect of sagittal pelvic dynamics on the 3-D orientation of the acetabular cup in the coronal and transverse plane. After pelvic tilt was applied, the intraclass correlation coefficients of 108 measured and calculated coronal and transverse cup orientation angles were 0.963 and 0.990, respectively, validating the clinical use of the mathematical model.ResultsThe changes in 3-D acetabular cup orientation by functional pelvic tilt differed substantially between cups with different initial positions; the change in transverse version was much more pronounced in cups with low coronal inclination (from 50° to -29°) during functional pelvic tilt than in cups with a normal coronal inclination (from 39° to -11°) or high coronal inclination (from 31° to 2°). However, changes in coronal inclination were more pronounced in acetabular cups with high transverse version.ConclusionUsing a simple algorithm to determine the dynamic 3-D reorientation of the acetabular cup during functional sagittal pelvic tilt, we demonstrated that the 3-D effect of functional pelvic tilt is specific to the initial acetabular cup orientation and thus per THA patient.Clinical RelevanceFuture studies concerning THA (in)stability should not only include the initial acetabular cup orientation, but also they need to incorporate the effect of sagittal pelvic dynamics on the individual 3-D acetabular cup orientation. Clinicians can also use the developed tool, www.3d-hip.com, to calculate the acetabular cup’s orientation in other instances, such as for patients with spinopelvic imbalance.     

成人髋关节发育不良不同Crowe分型的三维CT影像学特征

 目的 通过三维CT重建分析成人髋关节发育不良不同Crowe分型之间髋臼形态的演变规律。方法 2010年6月至2013年1月收治成人髋关节发育不良患者62例68髋,男6例8髋,女56例60髋;年龄47~59岁,平均（53.7±5.8）岁。CroweⅠ型14例17髋,Ⅱ型17例17髋,Ⅲ型15例17髋,Ⅳ型16例17髋。行标准髋关节CT扫描及三维重建。在侧位三维图像上标记Harris窝,确定髋臼旋转中心,利用十字坐标轴确定髋臼旋转中心的冠状面和横断面位置;在正位三维图像上利用Ranwant三角确定髋臼旋转中心的矢状面位置;在髋臼水平重建图像上确定髋臼旋转中心。观察髋臼前后缘增生及髋臼前后柱发育不良程度,测量并比较不同Crowe分型患者的髋臼前倾角、前覆盖角、后覆盖角和内壁宽度。结果 随Crowe分型增加,髋臼前倾角逐渐加大,两者呈正相关,除CroweⅠ型和Ⅱ型组间外,其余组间差异有统计学意义;髋臼前覆盖角逐渐减小,两者呈负相关,各组间差异均有统计学意义,CroweⅢ、Ⅳ型组平均值小于50°;髋臼后覆盖角逐渐减小,两者呈负相关,各组间差异均有统计学意义, CroweⅢ、Ⅳ型组平均值小于90° ;髋臼内壁宽度逐渐增加,两者呈正相关,各组间差异均有统计学意义。结论 不同Crowe分型成人髋关节发育不良的髋臼形态变化存在一定的演变规律。对CroweⅠ型和Ⅱ型髋臼的重建可充分利用髋臼前后柱骨量,对CroweⅢ、Ⅳ型髋臼的重建可适度上移和（或）内移髋臼中心。     

Squatting After Total Hip Arthroplasty: Patient-Reported Outcomes and In Vivo Three-Dimensional Kinematic Study

BackgroundSquatting is an important function for many daily activities, but has not been well documented after total hip arthroplasty (THA). This study investigated the participation rate of squatting and in vivo kinematics during squatting.MethodsA survey questionnaire about squatting was mailed to patients who underwent primary THA and 328 patients returned acceptable responses. Additionally, 32 hips were evaluated for dynamic 3-dimensional kinematics of squatting using density-based image-matching techniques. Multivariate analyses were applied to determine which factors were associated with anterior liner-to-neck distance at maximum hip flexion.ResultsPatients who could easily squat significantly increased this ability postoperatively (23.5% vs 46%, P < .01). In 29.5% of the patients there was still no ability to squat after THA; the main reason was anxiety of dislocation (34.2%). Kinematic analysis revealed that maximum hip flexion averaged 80.7° ± 12.3° with 12.8° ± 10.7° of posterior pelvic tilt and 9.7 ± 3.0 mm of anterior liner-to-neck distance. Neither liner-to-neck, bone-to-bone, nor bone-to-implant contact was observed in any of the hips. Larger hip flexion and smaller cup anteversion were negatively associated with the anterior liner-to-neck distance at maximum hip flexion (P < .05).ConclusionPostoperatively, approximately 70% of patients squatted easily or with support. Anxiety of dislocation made patients avoid squatting after THA. In vivo squatting kinematics suggest no danger of impingement or subsequent dislocation, but excessively large hip flexion and small cup anteversion remain as risks.     

Visual intraoperative estimation of cup and stem position is not reliable in minimally invasive hip arthroplasty

Background and purpose — In hip arthroplasty, acetabular inclination and anteversion—and also femoral stem torsion—are generally assessed by eye intraoperatively. We assessed whether visual estimation of cup and stem position is reliable.

Patients and methods — In the course of a subgroup analysis of a prospective clinical trial, 65 patients underwent cementless hip arthroplasty using a minimally invasive anterolateral approach in lateral decubitus position. Altogether, 4 experienced surgeons assessed cup position intraoperatively according to the operative definition by Murray in the anterior pelvic plane and stem torsion in relation to the femoral condylar plane. Inclination, anteversion, and stem torsion were measured blind postoperatively on 3D-CT and compared to intraoperative results.

Results — The mean difference between the 3D-CT results and intraoperative estimations by eye was??4.9° (?18 to 8.7) for inclination, 9.7° (?16 to 41) for anteversion, and??7.3° (?34 to 15) for stem torsion. We found an overestimation of?>?5° for cup inclination in 32 hips, an overestimation of?>?5° for stem torsion in 40 hips, and an underestimation?

Interpretation — Even an experienced surgeon’s intraoperative estimation of cup and stem position by eye is not reliable compared to 3D-CT in minimally invasive THA. The use of mechanical insertion jigs, intraoperative fluoroscopy, or imageless navigation is recommended for correct implant insertion.     

Anteversion of the acetabular component aligned with the transverse acetabular ligament in total hip arthroplasty

In total hip arthroplasty (THA), accurately positioning the cup is crucial for achieving an adequate postoperative range of motion and stability. For 47 THA cases in which the inferomedial rim of the cup had been positioned parallel to the transverse acetabular ligament, we retrospectively performed the measurements of the radiographic cup anteversion angle relative to the anterior pelvic plane using 3-dimensional reconstruction computed tomography. The mean anteversion angle was 21.2°, with no significant difference detected in mean cup anteversion between the dysplastic hip group (15 hips) and the control group (15 hips). We suggest that the transverse acetabular ligament is a practical anatomical landmark for determining cup anteversion in THA for both dysplastic and nondysplastic hip cases.     

Prevalence of Sagittal Spinal Deformity Among Patients Undergoing Total Hip Arthroplasty

BackgroundThe important relationship between sagittal spinal alignment and total hip arthroplasty (THA) is becoming well recognized. Prior research has shown a significant relationship between sagittal spinal deformity (SSD) and THA instability. This study aims at determining the prevalence of SSD among preoperative THA patients.MethodsA multicenter database of preoperative THA patients was analyzed. Radiographic parameters measured from standing radiographs included anterior pelvic plane tilt, spinopelvic tilt, and lumbar lordosis (LL); pelvic incidence (PI) was measured from computed tomography scans. Lumbar flatback was defined as PI-LL mismatch >10°, balanced as PI-LL of −10° to 10°, and hyperlordosis as PI-LL <−10°.ResultsA total of 1088 patients were analyzed (mean, 64 years; 48% female). And 59% (n = 644) of patients had balanced alignment, 16% (n = 174) had a PI-LL > 10°, and 4% (n = 46) had a PI-LL > 20° (severe flatback deformity). The prevalence of hyperlordosis was 25% (n = 270). Flatback patients tended to be older than balanced and hyperlordotic patients (69.5 vs 64.0 vs 60.8 years, P < .001). Spinopelvic tilt was more posterior in flatback compared to balanced and hyperlordotic patients (24.7° vs 15.4° vs 7.0°) as was anterior pelvic plane tilt (−7.1° vs −2.0° vs 2.5°) and PI (64.1° vs 56.8° vs 49.0°), all P < .001.ConclusionOnly 59% of patients undergoing THA have normally aligned lumbar spines. Flatback SSD was observed in 16% (4% with severe flatback deformity) and there was a 25% prevalence of hyperlordosis. Lumbar flatback was associated with increasing age, posterior pelvic tilt, and larger PI. The relatively high prevalence of spinal deformity in this population reinforces the importance of considering spinopelvic alignment in THA planning and risk stratification.     

Decreased accuracy of acetabular cup placement for imageless navigation in obese patients

Background

Optimal acetabular cup position is an important determinant of the success of total hip arthroplasty (THA), and navigation systems have been developed and applied to improve placement precision. However, the registration method touching bony landmarks through soft tissues may decrease the accuracy in obese cases and in patients with acetabular dysplasia.

Methods

Placement accuracy in 69 joints in which THA was performed with imageless navigation was calculated by comparing the placement angle in the anterior pelvic plane and the placement angle in the x-ray table plane with the patient in the supine position. We defined the difference between the placement angle in the anterior pelvic plane and the angle displayed on the navigation screen as the error and the difference between the placement angle in the plane of the x-ray table and the target angle of acetabular component position as the difference in target angle. Patients were divided into obese (BMI ≥ 25) and nonobese (BMI < 25) groups and into acetabular dysplasia and nondysplasia groups.

Results

The mean ± SD navigation errors for all cases were 2.4° ± 2.0° for inclination and 3.7° ± 2.3° for anteversion. The mean difference in target angle for all cases was 2.8° ± 2.5° for inclination and 4.2° ± 3.0° for anteversion. The error in anteversion was significantly higher in the obese group (4.8° ± 2.5°) than in the nonobese group (3.2° ± 2.6°) (P = 0.01). No significant difference was observed between the acetabular dysplasia and nondysplasia groups.

Conclusions

Imageless navigation can be performed with an error of approximately 3° at the anterior pelvic plane. However, accuracy was found to decrease in obese cases.     

Imaging and Navigation Measurement of Acetabular Component Position in THA

There are six different definitions of acetabular position based on observed inclination and anteversion made in either the (1) anterior pelvic plane or (2) coronal planes and based on whether each of the observations made in one of these two planes is (1) anatomic, (2) operative, or (3) radiographic. Anteroposterior pelvic tilt is the angle between the anterior pelvic plane and the coronal plane of the body. The coronal plane is a functional plane and the anterior pelvic plane is an anatomic pelvic plane. A cup may be in the “safe zone” by one definition but may be out of the “safe zone” by another definition. We reviewed published studies, analyzed the difference in varying definitions, evaluated the influence of the anterior pelvic tilt, and provided methods to convert from one definition to another. We recommend all inclination and anteversion measurements be converted to the radiographic inclination and anteversion based on the coronal plane, which is equivalent to the inclination and anteversion on the anteroposterior pelvic radiograph. Each author certifies that he or she has no commercial associations (eg, consultancies, stock ownership, equity interest, patent/licensing arrangements, etc) that might pose a conflict of interest in connection with the submitted article. Each author certifies that his or her institution has approved the human protocol for this investigation and that all investigations were conducted in conformity with ethical principles of research.     

Acetabular component orientation in intra- and postoperative positions in total hip arthroplasty

Introduction  In total hip arthroplasty (THA), acetabular component orientation has critically important effects on dislocation, range of motion, polyethylene wear, pelvic osteolysis, and component migration. The differences in the pelvic orientation in the intraoperative lateral position for insertion of acetabular component during operation and that in the postoperative supine position for evaluation of acetabular component orientation will be one of the factors, which make outliers in acetabular component orientation. We compared acetabular component orientation between intraoperative lateral position and postoperative supine position in 100 consecutive primary THAs. Materials and methods  A total of 100 consecutive primary THAs (between October 2004 and December 2005) in 100 patients performed by a single surgical team were investigated. Intraoperative anteroposterior radiographs of pelvis in the lateral position and postoperative anteroposterior radiographs of pelvis in the supine position were taken. Acetabular component orientation (vertical tilt and anteversion) were measured using computer software. Results  The absolute values of difference between measurements in the two positions were 5.3° ± 4.5° (mean ± SD) for vertical tilt and 5.1° ± 3.7° for anteversion. The difference in the vertical tilt between the two positions was significant (P < 0.0001). Conclusion  The difference in the acetabular component orientation between the two positions, which might be caused by the difference between intra- and postoperative pelvic orientation, should be considered during THA.     

Acetabular morphological variation in Asian patients with femoral neck fracture: A three-dimensional CT-based study

AimsThe acetabular morphology varies greatly among individuals, and hypoplasia is more common in Asia than in Europe. Dislocation after bipolar hip arthroplasty (BHA) for femoral neck fracture occurs at a constant rate, and is affected by the acetabular morphology. This study aimed to clarify individual differences in the acetabula of Asian patients with displaced femoral neck fractures.Patients and methodsFifty patients with displaced femoral neck fractures were assessed (50 fractured hips, 50 non-fractured hips). On CT corrected by the anterior pelvic plane, the 100 hips were assessed regarding acetabular coverage (six parameters), acetabular depth (two parameters), and acetabular opening angle (four parameters). Additional parameters related to the fracture and sex were examined. The percentile of each parameter was shown for all hips.ResultsThere was no patient with hip dysplasia defined as superior acetabular sector angle (SASA) less than 110° Compared with men, women had a significantly smaller anterior acetabular sector angle (AASA) (p = 0.016), and significantly larger acetabular inclination angle (p = 0.006) and acetabular index angle (p = 0.034). In the group with a normal SASA, seven hips (7.3%) had an anterior wall defect (AASA<50°) and five hips (5.2%) had a posterior wall defect (posterior acetabular sector angle<90°).ConclusionOlder adults with femoral neck fractures can have anterior wall and posterior wall defects, even if their SASA is normal. Hidden acetabular dysplasia may be related to post-BHA dislocation. So, our results suggest that is important to accurately evaluate the acetabulum of patients with femoral neck fracture before surgery.     

Variations in sagittal and coronal stem tilt and their impact on prosthetic impingement in total hip arthroplasty

Optimization of the combined anteversion of cup and stem has been emphasized to avoid prosthetic impingement in total hip arthroplasty (THA). However, no study has focused on the impact of variations in sagittal and coronal stem tilt against the whole femur on prosthetic range of motion. The purposes of the present study were a) to quantify the anatomical variation of sagittal and coronal tilt of the proximal canal axis against the femoral retrocondylar coordinate system, that is variation of sagittal and coronal stem tilt and b) to determine their impact on the zone of impingement‐free cup position using computer simulation. Preoperative computed tomography images of 477 femurs from 409 consecutive patients who underwent THA using computed tomography‐based computer navigation were stored. Virtual implantation of an anatomical stem was performed on the navigation workstation. The safe zone of the cup position with regard to prosthetic impingement was determined by motion simulation in the range of sagittal and coronal stem tilt of the subjects. The sagittal and coronal stem tilt varied by 10°, which was smaller than the stem anteversion variation. However, there was about 3 times the difference in the impingement‐free zone of cup position in the ranges of sagittal and coronal stem tilt. The safe zone was significantly decreased by posterior tilt and valgus tilt of the stem. Range of motion simulation revealed that the variations in sagittal or coronal stem tilt significantly influenced the safe zone of the cup. In conclusion, although the variations in sagittal and coronal stem tilt against the femoral retrocondylar coordinate system were small, their impact on prosthetic impingement was significant.     

Comparison of extracapsular pseudotumors seen in magnetic resonance imaging and in revision surgery of 167 failed metal-on-metal hip replacements

Background and purpose It is controversial whether the transverse acetabular ligament (TAL) is a reliable guide for determining the cup orientation during total hip arthroplasty (THA). We investigated the variations in TAL anatomy and the TAL-guided cup orientation.

Methods 80 hips with osteoarthritis secondary to hip dysplasia (OA) and 80 hips with osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ON) were examined. We compared the anatomical anteversion of TAL and the TAL-guided cup orientation in relation to both disease and gender using 3D reconstruction of computed tomography (CT) images.

Results Mean TAL anteversion was 11° (SD 10, range –12 to 35). The OA group (least-square mean 16°, 95% confidence interval (CI): 14–18) had larger anteversion than the ON group (least-square mean 6.2°, CI: 3.8 – 7.5). Females (least-square mean 20°, CI: 17–23) had larger anteversion than males (least-square mean 7.0°, CI: 4.6–9.3) in the OA group, while there were no differences between the sexes in the ON group. When TAL was used for anteversion guidance with the radiographic cup inclination fixed at 40°, 39% of OA hips and 9% of ON hips had more than 10° variance from the target anteversion, which was 15°.

Interpretation In ON hips, TAL is a good guide for determining cup orientation during THA, although it is not a reliable guide in hips with OA secondary to dysplasia. This is because TAL orientation has large individual variation and is influenced by disease and gender.