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Objectives: To evaluate the initial functional results and early complication rate of ceramic-ceramic total hip replacements among patients living with HIV who presented osteonecrosis of the femoral head., Method: Twelve HIV-positive patients with a diagnosis of osteonecrosis of the incongruent femoral head were evaluated using clinical and laboratory criteria and the WOMAC functional scale before and after treatment with joint replacement., Results: We observed that 83.3% of the subjects were taking protease inhibitors, 75% had dyslipidemia and 66.6% had lipodystrophy syndrome. The improvement over the evolution of the WOMAC score was statistically significant at six and twelve months after the operation, in comparison with the preoperative score. We did not observe complications secondary to this procedure., Conclusion: Total hip arthroplasty with a ceramic-ceramic implant for treating avascular necrosis of the hip is an appropriate surgical option for this portion of the population. It provides a significant initial functional improvement and a low early complication rate.

Objective: To evaluate the medium-term clinical-functional results (minimum follow-up of six years) from total uncemented hip arthroplasty performed by means of a posterior minimally invasive access, in comparison with the traditional right lateral access., Methods: In a comparative prospective study, 224 adult patients underwent elective total hip arthroplasty due to a diagnosis of primary or secondary osteoarthrosis. A group of 103 patients with posterior minimally invasive access was compared with a group of 121 patients with the traditional right lateral access. The mean length of follow-up among the patients of this sample was 7.2 years. We evaluated the clinical-functional and radiographic results and occurrences of loosening, along with any complications that occurred, with a minimum follow-up of six years., Results: The clinical-functional analyses before the surgical procedure and six years afterwards were similar in the two groups (p = 0.88 and p = 0.55). One patient in the minimally invasive group underwent revision of the acetabular component and two patients in the control group underwent the same procedure (p = 0.46). The Trendelenburg clinical test, which showed weakness of the hip abductor musculature, was present in five patients operated using the traditional lateral route and absent in all those who underwent the minimally invasive procedure (p = 0.06). There was no difference regarding the radiographic parameters obtained, either in acetabular or in femoral positioning (p = 0.32 and p = 0.58)., Conclusions: The medium-term clinical and radiographic results and the complication rates were similar between the patients who underwent total hip arthroplasty by means of the posterior minimally invasive access and those with the traditional lateral access.

Hip arthroscopy is a safe method for treating a variety of pathological conditions that were unknown until a decade ago. Femoroacetabular impingement is the commonest of these pathological conditions and the one with the best results when treated early on. The instruments and surgical technique for hip arthroscopy continue to evolve. New indications for hip arthroscopy has been studied as the ligamentum teres injuries, capsular repair in instabilities, dissection of the sciatic nerve and repair of gluteal muscles tears (injuries to the hip rotator cuff), although still with debatable reproducibility. The complication rate is low, and ever-better results with fewer complications should be expected with the progression of the learning curve.

In a study of the acetabular component in total hip arthroplasty, 20 hips were operated on using imageless navigation and 20 hips were operated on using the conventional method. The correct position of the acetabular component was evaluated with computed tomography, measuring the operative anteversion and the operative inclination and determining the cases inside Lewinnek's safe zone. The results were similar in all the analyses: a mean anteversion of 17.4° in the navigated group and 14.5° in the control group (P=.215); a mean inclination of 41.7° and 42.2° (P=.633); a mean deviation from the desired anteversion (15°) of 5.5° and 6.6° (P=.429); a mean deviation from the desired inclination of 3° and 3.2° (P=.783); and location inside the safe zone of 90% and 80% (P=.661). The acetabular component position's tomography analyses were similar whether using the imageless navigation or performing it conventionally., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the chondroprotective effect of diacerein and glucosamine regarding degenerative changes and articular stiffness in an experimental model of arthritis., Methods: Twenty rats underwent medial meniscectomy on the right knee. Ten animals were given diacerhein, and 10 were given glucosamine, from day 1 to the third month postoperatively, when all of them were killed. Histological and functional analysis of the knees were performed (measurement of maximum extension)., Results: All operated knees showed more limited extension values and more degenerative changes as compared to nonoperated contralateral sides. A comparison of the two drugs showed that the degree of articular stiffness was significantly lower with diacerein, although degenerative changes were similar., Conclusions: 1) Prophylactic use of diacerein leads to lower degree of articular stiffness when compared to glucosamine; 2) The prophylactic chondroprotective effects of diacerein and glucosamine are histologically similar.