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Presents the abstract of the research paper "Visual analog scales for interpretation of back and leg pain intensity in patients operated for degenerative lumbar spine disorders," which was published in the June 3, 2005 issue of the periodical "Acta Orthopaedica."

Presents the abstract of the research "SF-36 profiles before and one year after spinal stenosis surgery — a prospective comparison of two techniques in two nations," which was published in the June 3, 2005 issue of the periodical "Acta Orthopaedica."

Presents the abstract of the research "SF-36 for outcomes assessment of spine surgery," which was published in the June 3, 2005 issue of the periodical "Acta Orthopaedica."

Presents the abstract of the research "SF-36 scores in degenerative lumbar spine disorders: analysis of prospective data from 451 patients," which was published in the June 3, 2005 issue of the periodical "Acta Orthopaedica."

Presents the abstract of the study "Reliability of the prospective data collection protocol of the Swedish Spine Register: test-retest analysis of 119 patients," which was published in the June 3, 2005 issue of the periodical "Acta Orthopaedica."

Presents the abstract of the research "Lessons learned searching for a HRQoL instrument to assess the results of treatment in persons with lumbar disorders," which was published in the June 3, 2005 issue of the periodical "Acta Orthopaedica."

A list of several papers related to neck pain is presented. Some of the papers in the list include "The prevalence of neck pain: A population-based study from northern Sweden," by M. Guez, C. Hildingsson, M. Nilsson, G. Toolanen, "Chronic neck pain of traumatic and nontraumatic origin," by M. Guez, C. Hildingsson, B. Stegmayr, G. Toolanen and "Chronic low-back pain in individuals with chronic neck pain of traumatic and non-traumatic origin," by M. Guez, S. Nasic, C. Hildingsson, G. Toolanen.

The article focuses on several studies concerning the effects of erythropoietin (EPO) on the bone. Topics discussed include the effectiveness of EPO in enhancing bone formation in an autograft posterolateral spinal fusion model, the cellular mechanisms of EPO's osteogenic action and the role of EPO in healing bone defects. Also discussed are the characteristics of EPO, the potential adverse effects of EPO and the pleiotropic effects of EPO.

The article presents the findings of a study related to the diagnosis and treatment of femoral neck fractures. Femoral neck fracture is characterised by a fracture through the intraarticular part of the femoral neck. It is stated that the Scandinavian countries and the United States have the highest incidences of hip fracture. The treatment is done through internal fixation or arthroplasty depending upon the nature of displacement.

The combination of modern interventional and preventive medicine has led to an epidemic of ageing. While this phenomenon is a positive consequence of an improved lifestyle and achievements in a society, the longer life expectancy is often accompanied by decline in quality of life due to musculoskeletal pain and disability. The Aarhus Regenerative Orthopaedics Symposium (AROS) 2015 was motivated by the need to address regenerative challenges in an ageing population by engaging clinicians, basic scientists, and engineers. In this position paper, we review our contemporary understanding of societal, patient-related, and basic science-related challenges in order to provide a reasoned roadmap for the future to deal with this compelling and urgent healthcare problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study regarding the reconstructive surgery of the human tibia through the use of external ring fixators and the Ilizarov method. The study aims to compare monofocal versus bifocal lengthening osteotomy using Ilizarov External Fixator (IEF) and the different types of external ring fixators, and explore the deformation across the zone of calotasis during weight bearing in limb lengthening. It summarizes and discusses the result of the study.

The International Society of Arthroplasty Registries (ISAR) Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) Working Group have evaluated and recommended best practices in the selection, administration, and interpretation of PROMs for hip and knee arthroplasty registries. The 2 generic PROMs in common use are the Short Form health surveys (SF-36 or SF-12) and EuroQol 5-dimension (EQ-5D). The Working Group recommends that registries should choose specific PROMs that have been appropriately developed with good measurement properties for arthroplasty patients. The Working Group recommend the use of a 1-item pain question ("During the past 4 weeks, how would you describe the pain you usually have in your [right/left] [hip/ knee]?"; response: none, very mild, mild, moderate, or severe) and a single-item satisfaction outcome ("How satisfied are you with your [right/left] [hip/knee] replacement?"; response: very unsatisfied, dissatisfied, neutral, satisfied, or very satisfied). Survey logistics include patient instructions, paper- and electronic-based data collection, reminders for follow-up, centralized as opposed to hospital-based follow-up, sample size, patient- or joint-specific evaluation, collection intervals, frequency of response, missing values, and factors in establishing a PROMs registry program. The Working Group recommends including age, sex, diagnosis at joint, general health status preoperatively, and joint pain and function score in case-mix adjustment models. Interpretation and statistical analysis should consider the absolute level of pain, function, and general health status as well as improvement, missing data, approaches to analysis and case-mix adjustment, minimal clinically important difference, and minimal detectable change. The Working Group recommends data collection immediately before and 1 year after surgery, a threshold of 60% for acceptable frequency of response, documentation of non-responders, and documentation of incomplete or missing data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on studies about orthopedic trauma surgery in low and middle-income countries (LMIC). Topics discussed include the history of femoral intramedullary nailing, the problems faced by LMICs in providing trauma care and the occurrence of infection after trauma surgery in LMICs. Also discussed are the effects of HIV and AIDS on orthopedic trauma surgery in LMICs and the assistance offered by the nonprofit organization SIGN Fracture International to hospitals in LMICs.

The article offers information on the concepts of hip arthroplasty and numerical analyses. It discusses several facts which include risks of femoral neck fracture after hip resurfacing arthroplasty, increased femoral neck strains that may lead to increased risk of fracture and strain pattern in the proximal femur.

The article reports on research which was conducted in an effort to investigate aspects of epidemiology, residual deformity and patient reported outcome in Swedish patients who had been treated with the Ilizarov technique for congenital clubfoot. Researchers found that environmental factors and ethnical admixture may be linked to a high incidence of clubfoot in Sweden and that patients over the age of 60 who had had had the technique for clubfoot experienced decreased foot and ankle function.

The article focuses on various studies related to chronic neck pain. The northern Sweden MONICA study covered a population of 510,000 and a target population of 310,000 between 25 and 74 years old. The main objective of the study was to assess risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. Nearly 43 percent of the population reported neck pain. It was found that neck pain was less frequent in older women than in working women. In the second study patients with chronic neck pain were divided into two groups, those with or without a history of neck trauma. Evaluation of sociodemographic data revealed that patients with a history of trauma and chronic neck pain were more often on sick-leave.

The article reports on studies concerning sacroiliac joint movements and pelvic joint fusion outcomes. Topics discussed include the accuracy of radiostereometrics in analyzing sacroiliac joint movement, the outcomes for patients with severe pelvic girdle pain (PGP) who underwent pelvic joint fusion and the possible causes of PGP. Also discussed are the tests to diagnose PGP and the biomechanical considerations for sacroiliac joint movement.

The article reports on research which was conducted as part of a higher educational thesis and investigated the epidemiology, radiology and histology of atypical femoral fractures which were linked to the use of drugs called bisphosphonates. In the article the author offers his opinions on the use of bisphosphonates and on the need for additional research on the treatment of atypical femoral fractures.

The article discusses research which was conducted to investigate fractures in children, fracture epidemiology and risk factors in children and the impact that pediatric fractures have on health services. Several abstracts of articles related to fractures are also presented, including one on distal radius fractures in children, one on observational studies in orthopaedics and one on fracture rates in children.

Copyright of Acta Orthopaedica (Supplement) is the property of Medical Journals Sweden AB and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Acta Orthopaedica (Supplement) is the property of Medical Journals Sweden AB and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The article discusses a study investigating the effect of cox inhibitors on bone and tendon healing by researchers at the Institute for Surgical Research and Department of Comparative Medicine at Rikshospitalet in Norway. Topics include a brief overview of the use of cox inhibitors, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), to reduce inflammatory responses and pain associated with musculoskeletal trauma and orthopedic surgery.

The article provides an overview of a study which describes techniques and applications when applying radiostereometry to the lumbosacral spine. Applications presented in this paper are studies of mobility in normal and degenerative lumbar segments and in spinal segments with mobility restriction by orthosis. Lumbar spine mobility happens over the disc and two facet joints on a segmental level. The radiostereometry method includes marker insertion, radiographic investigation and digitization.

Congenital insensitivity to pain is a rare hereditary neuropathy. We present patients from a large family in Norrbotten, Sweden with a mutation in the nerve growth factor beta gene (NGFbeta). Using a model of recessive inheritance, we identified an 8.3-Mb region on chromosome 1 p 11.2-p 13.2 shared by the affected individuals in the family. Analysis of candidate genes in the disease-critical region revealed a mutation in the coding region of the NGFbeta gene specific for the disease haplotype. All three severely affected individuals were homozygous for the mutation. The disease haplotype was also observed in both unaffected and mildly affected family members, but in heterozygote form. We have identified 43 patients, 3 homozygous and 40 heterozygous. The homozygous patients have a severe congenital form with onset of symptoms at an early age, most often affecting the lower extremities with insidious progressive joint swellings or painless fractures. Fracture healing was normal, but the arthropathy was progressive, resulting in disabling Charcot joints with gross deformity and instability. These patients lacked deep pain perception in bones and joints and had no protective reflexes, leading to gross bone and joint complications. They also had abnormal temperature perception but normal ability to sweat. There was no mental retardation. Clinically, they fit best into the group HSAN type V. Sural nerve biopsies showed a moderatre loss of thin myelinated fibers (Adelta-fibers) and a severe reduction of unmyelinated fibers (C-fibers). 14 of the 40 heterozygous adult patients had mild or moderate problems with joint deformities, usually with only slight discomfort. Treatment was conservative with (if needed) different kinds of orthosis and in three cases joint replacement. Nine patients had neuropathy, and nine patients had no symptoms.In congenital disorders like these, it is important to evaluate the age and also the slowly progressive nature, when considering treatment. There is an increased risk of growth disturbances in the very young. The orthopedic operations should therefore be planned from a long-term point of view, but patient education and orthosis are cornerstones in the treatment--to delay the development of neuropathic arthropathy. Arthrodesis, limb lengthening and spinal decompression with fusions are the only elective procedures that seem reasonable.This Norrbottnian disease is also interesting as a model system for the study of pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic neck pain, a common cause of disability, seems to be the result of several interacting mechanisms. In addition to degenerative and inflammatory changes and trauma, psychological and psychosocial factors are also involved. One common type of trauma associated with chronic neck pain is whiplash injury; this sometimes results in whiplash-associated disorder (WAD), a controversial condition with largely unknown pathogenetic mechanisms.We studied the prevalence of chronic neck pain of traumatic and non-traumatic origin and compared the prevalence of, sociodemographic data, self-perceived health, workload and chronic low-back pain in these groups. In a ready-made questionnaire (MONICA study), we added questions about cervical spine and low-back complaints. 6,000 (72%) completed a self-administered questionnaire. 43% reported neck pain: 48% of women and 38% of men. Women of working age had more neck pain than retired women, a phenomenon not seen in men. 19% of the studied population suffered from chronic neck pain and it was more frequent in women. A history of neck trauma was common in those with chronic neck pain. Those with a history of neck trauma perceived their health worse and were more often on sick-leave. About 50% of those with traumatic and non-traumatic chronic neck pain also had chronic low-back pain.We assessed the subjective and objective neuropsychological functioning in 42 patients with chronic neck pain, 21 with a whiplash trauma, and 21 without previous neck trauma. Despite cognitive complaints, the WAD patients had normal neuropsychological functioning, but the WAD group especially had deviant MMPI results--indicating impaired coping ability and somatization. WAD patients had no alterations in cerebral blood-flow pattern, as measured by rCBF-SPECT and SPM analysis, compared to healthy controls. This contrasts with the non-traumatic group with chronic neck pain, which showed marked blood-flow changes. The blood-flow changes in the non-traumatic group were similar to those described earlier in pain patients but-- remarkably enough--were different from those in the WAD group. Chronic neck pain of whiplash and non-traumatic origin appears to 1;e unique in some respects. A better understanding of the underlying pathological mechanisms is a prerequisite for prevention of the development of such chronic pain syndromes and for improvement of the treatment of patients with severe symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses the research papers on the aspects of outcome measurement in patients operated for lumbar spine problems, which were published in the June 3, 2005 issue of the periodical "Acta Orthopaedica." "Lessons learned searching for a HRQoL instrument to assess the results of treatment in persons with lumbar disorders"; "Reliability of the prospective data collection protocol of the Swedish Spine Register: test-retest analysis of 119 patients"; "Visual analog scales for interpretation of back and leg pain intensity in patients operated for degenerative lumbar spine disorders."

Presents an introduction to research papers on the aspects of outcome measurement in patients operated for lumbar spine problems, which were published in the June 3, 2005 issue of the periodical "Acta Orthopaedica."

The article focuses on International Society of Arthroplasty Registers (ISAR), a global consortium of joint replacement registries, which was founded during the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons annual meeting in 2004. The consortium was formed to enhance the capacity of individual registries and to develop the strength of cooperation and information sharing. The addition of working groups Patient-Reported Outcome Measures and Service Improvement to the organization in 2013 is mentioned.

Background and purpose -- Cartilage damage can develop due to trauma, resulting in focal chondral or osteochondral defects, or as more diffuse loss of cartilage in a generalized organ disease such as osteoarthritis. A loss of cartilage function and quality is also seen with increasing age. There is a spectrum of diseases ranging from focal cartilage defects with healthy surrounding cartilage to focal lesions in degenerative cartilage, to multiple and diffuse lesions in osteoarthritic cartilage. At the recent Aarhus Regenerative Orthopaedics Symposium (AROS) 2015, regenerative challenges in an ageing population were discussed by clinicians and basic scientists. A group of clinicians was given the task of discussing the role of tissue engineering in the treatment of degenerative cartilage lesions in ageing patients. We present the outcomes of our discussions on current treatment options for such lesions, with particular emphasis on different biological repair techniques and their supporting level of evidence. Results and interpretation -- Based on the studies on treatment of degenerative lesions and early OA, there is low-level evidence to suggest that cartilage repair is a possible treatment for such lesions, but there are confl icting results regarding the effect of advanced age on the outcome. We concluded that further improvements are needed for direct repair of focal, purely traumatic defects before we can routinely use such repair techniques for the more challenging degenerative lesions. Furthermore, we need to identify trigger mechanisms that start generalized loss of cartilage matrix, and induce subchondral bone changes and concomitant synovial pathology, to maximize our treatment methods for biological repair in degenerative ageing joints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose -- The effect of total joint arthroplasty (TJA) on physical activity is not fully understood. We investigated the change in physical activity after TJA and patient factors associated with change. Patients and methods -- Using a total joint replacement registry, primary total hip arthroplasty (THA) patients (n = 5,678) and knee arthroplasty (TKA) patients (n = 11,084) between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2012 were identified. Median age at THA was 68 and median age at TKA was 67. Change in self-reported physical activity (minutes per week) from before TJA (within 1 year of surgery) to after TJA (1-2 years) was the outcome of interest. Patient demographics and comorbidities were evaluated as risk factors. Multiple linear regression was used. Results -- Median physical activity before surgery was 50 min/ week (IQR: 0-140) for THA patients and 58 (IQR: 3-143) for TKA patients. Median physical activity after surgery was 150 min/week (IQR: 60-280) for both THA patients and TKA patients. Following TJA, 50% of patients met CDC/WHO physical activity guideline criteria. Higher body mass index was associated with lower change in physical activity (THA: -7.1 min/week; TKA: -5.9 min/ week). Females had lower change than males (THA: -11 min/ week; TKA: -9.1 min/week). In TKA patients, renal failure was associated with lower change (-17 min/week), as were neurological disorders (-30 min/week). Interpretation -- Self-reported minutes of physical activity increased from before to after TJA, but 50% of TJA patients did not meet recommended physical activity guideline criteria. Higher body mass index, female sex, and specific comorbidities were found to be associated with low change in physical activity. Patient education on the benefits of physical activity should concentrate on these subgroups of patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study aimed at evaluating an implant for femoral neck fracture fixation and evaluating clinical relevance of biomechanical femoral neck fracture experiments. Topics cited include a comparison of fourth generation composite femurs (4GCFs) with human cadaver femurs regarding anthropometry, cortical bone deformation and stability of operated femoral neck fractures and the ex vivo biomechanical experiments about surgical treatment of femoral neck fractures.

The article discusses a study on the treatment of young patients with hip osteoarthritis. Topics discussed include the number of hip arthroplasties performed in young patients in the Netherlands and the types of hips prosthesis most commonly used, the radiographic and clinical results of acetabular impaction bone grafting in patients younger than 50 years and the radiographic and clinical results of uncemented total hip arthroplasty (THA) in patients younger than 50 years.

The article presents a study which investigated complications after an ankle fracture surgery. Topics discussed include a identification of deep postoperative infection, the reasons for early reoperation after ankle fracture surgery and an investigation on the out outcome of patients who require flap reconstruction for hardware exposure after deep ankle fracture infection, and findings that smoking and prolonged operative time are independent factors for surgical site infection (SSI).

The article reports on several studies about wrist arthroplasty. Topics discussed include the use of a calcium phosphate coating to improve bone ingrowth and fixation, the patterns of bone fixation with hydroxyapatite and the steps involved in total wrist replacement and wrist arthroplasty. Also discussed are the biomechanics of the wrist, the therapeutic options for inflammatory arthritis and osteoarthritis and the causes and treatment options for radiocarpal degeneration.

The article discusses the decision making process which is used by medical professionals in the surgical treatment of chronic low back pain. A discussion of research which investigated the side effects of lumbar spinal fusion and the performance of prognostic tests used to select patients with low back pain who could be eligible for lumbar spinal fusion is presented.

The article presents a list of supplements published between 1934 and 2011 in the journal "Acta Orthopaedica" which includes "Microradiographic Investigation of Bone Grafts in Man" by Gabriele Stringa, "Tensile Properties of the Human Lumbar Annulus Fibrosus" by Jorge O. Galante and "Motion in the Cervical Spine: An Experimental Study on Autopsy Specimens" by Erland Lysell. A list of the authors of the supplements is also presented which includes Henrik Heikel, Carl Arnoldi and Ivan Hvid.

The article presents an overview of research studies which were conducted on the stability-based classification for ankle fracture management and the syndesmosis injury in ankle fractures due to a supination external rotation mechanism of injury. An abstract which discussed the research is presented. A list of abbreviations which are used in the research is offered.

An academic essay is presented on the subject of the balanced gap implantation technique for total knee replacement surgery which allows for the retention of the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL). Topics include an overview of the anatomy and biomechanics of the knee joint, diagnosis and treatment of osteoarthritis, and the comparison of the measured resection and balanced gap methods of total knee replacement (TKR).

The article describes and analyzes several aspects and consequences of the balanced gap implantation technique for total knee replacement which is used in patients with osteoarthritis. A discussion of the anatomy and biomechanics of the knee that are relevant to the total knee replacement is presented. The implantation philosophies related to total knee replacements are examined. A brief overview of osteoarthritis is offered.

The article presents a study of acrylic bone cements used in hip repair and the use of mechanical in vitro testing as a means of predicting the long-term clinical performance of such cements. Cements aged for up to 5 years in different media were subjected to in vitro quasistatic testing at various temperatures. Dynamic creep testing, testing of retrieved cement samples, and testing under wet and dry conditions also were conducted. Materials, methods, and results are discussed.

Presents the specific aims of the research papers on the aspects of outcome measurement in patients operated for lumbar spine problems, which were published in the June 3, 2005 issue of the periodical "Acta Orthopaedica." Assessment of test-retest reliability of the prospective data collection protocol in use by the Swedish Spine Register; Illustration of the use of recording visual analog scales for pain intensity in patients operated for lumbar spine problems; Determination of the preoperative SF-36 scores in patients scheduled for lumbar spine surgery.

The article discusses research which was conducted in an effort to investigate the relationship between the use of medications and the risk of revision in patients who had undergone total hip arthroplasty. Researchers found that the use of statins, loop diuretics and bisphosphonates were all associated with a higher risk of recision in patients who had undergone total hip arthroplasty.

Joint replacement is one of the greatest surgical successes in history, and countless attempts have been made in the past to improve the longevity of total hip arthroplasty (THA), including enhancement of implant designs, application of new surface coatings, and development of alternate bearing surfaces. New products have been enthusiastically embraced by surgeons despite lack of clinical support, but not unusually, further experience revealed unexpected drawbacks. Polyethylene (PE) wear has long been recognized as playing a central role in the aetiology of osteolysis and acetabular component failure. However, PE is still the gold standard counter-bearing surface of the femoral head in THA, and despite promising low-wear results of new PE products, there is a continued need for clinical studies to evaluate limitations not exposed by experimental studies. Assessment of low-wear bearing surfaces increases the demand for high precision and high accuracy methods of PE evaluation. Radiostereometric analysis (RSA) is considered gold standard of such measurements, but the method is limited by expense and equipment. Consequently, plain radiographs are still used in many descriptions of clinical wear. New software solutions for plain and stereo radiographs are frequently developed and present a persistent need for method validation and comparison. The first aim of the thesis was to objectivise the clinical importance of hydroxyapatite (HA) coating as a contributor in third-body PE wear, osteolysis, and cup failure, and to focus on the potential of zirconia (Zr) femoral heads as a PE-wear reducing material. The second aim was to explore pit falls and conduct a comparison of three wear measurement methods (EGS-RSA, MB-RSA, and PolyWare), with two-dimensional (2D) and threedimensional (3D) wear estimates. Study I: Twenty-six cementless THA components (HA vs. titanium coating) were evaluated in a randomized patient group with regard for need of cup revision after 15 years' follow-up, and radiographic PE wear and osteolysis after a 12- year follow-up or at end-point revision. HA-coated cups displayed a higher revision rate. There was a positive association between high wear rate and revision, as well as between high osteolysis and revision. Study II: A clinical comparison was performed of PE wear with Zr or cobalt-chrome (CoCr) femoral heads in a young patient group of 69 hips with cementless acetabular shells. At a mean of 5 years, the wear rates were similar and there were no revisions. Study III: Linear PE wear in a long-term followup clinical series of 11 patients was evaluated by use of one, two, or six plain AP radiographs with the same wear measurement method (PolyWare). The number of radiographs used significantly influenced the magnitude of measured linear wear, and wear results with the PolyWare method based on different numbers of radiographs are not comparable. Study IV: Two, new, model-based RSA techniques and a method (PolyWare) for plain radiographs were validated and compared in a phantom hip setup. Methods for 2D wear measurement were more precise (repeatable) and accurate than those for 3D wear measurement. The best concurrent validity was obtained between the MB-RSA and EGS-RSA techniques. PolyWare was the least accurate and precise method, and it demands a twofold larger sample size compared with RSA. Measurement of wear close to liner wear-through severely affects the accuracy of all methods. Study V: As an extension of study III, the Poly- Ware method for plain radiographs using one or two radiographs was compared with EGS-RSA in a clinical series of 12 cementless hips with a minimum 5-year follow-up. Repeatability (precision) for 2D PE wear was similar for PolyWare using only one (the final) radiographs and EGS-RSA ('the gold standard'). The PolyWare method using only the final radiographs is applicable when the expected total 2D wear is above a total of 0.5 mm. From the present clinical studies, it can be concluded that wear in older type non-crosslinked polyethylene liners exceed the defined tolerance of 0.2 mm/year for the development of osteolysis and failure. First-generation hydroxyapatite coating applied to first-generation modular cups resulted in high and early risk of revision, and the clinical performance of recently electrochemically deposited HA coatings should be followed closely. Although no negative effects of Zr femoral heads were observed, an expected clinical wear advantage of Zr femoral heads on PE compared with CoCr femoral heads on PE could not be demonstrated, and long-term follow-ups are needed. Close attention should be paid to the clinical performance of new ceramic products. The methodological studies showed that measurement of PE wear on plain THA radiographs with the PolyWare method should be based on an equal number of radiographs per patient. A good agreement was established between EGS-RSA and PolyWare with use of only the final follow-up plain radiograph for 2D PE wear analysis. The Poly- Ware final follow-up radiograph method is ideal for clinical retrospective research with medium- to long-term follow-ups. It is easy and inexpensive to use, applicable in any hospital, and further alleviates the need for baseline images that are often lost, stored in hard copy, and of varying quality. For assessment of low-wear or short-term clinical follow-up, RSA should be used. Model-based RSA using scanned-surface cup models or computergenerated sphere models are highly accurate and on the level of marker-less RSA for PE wear analysis. Assessment of PE wear near wear-through of the liner is problematic for model-based RSA methods as well as for PolyWare, and it should not be attempted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the polyethylene (PE) wear problem in case of total hip arthroplasty (THA) joint implants. The clinical importance of hydroxyapatite coating as well as the potential of zirconia as a PE-wear reducing material is also discussed. Twenty-six THA components were evaluated in a group of patients with regard for need of cup revision after 15 years of follow-up and radiographic PE wear and osteolysis after a 12- year follow-up.

Man's evolution features two unique developments: growing a huge brain and upright gait. Their combination makes the pelvis the most defining skeletal element to read human evolution. Recent revival in joint preserving hip surgery have brought to attention morphological variations of the human hip that appear similar to hips of extant mammals. In man, such variations can produce hip osteoarthrosis through motion. We reviewed the evolution of the hip and pelvis with special interest in morphology that can lead to motion induced osteoarthrosis in man. The combination of giving birth to big brained babies and walking upright has produced marked differences between the sexes in pelvis and hip morphology, each having their characteristic mode of hip impingement and osteoarthrosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]