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Although a history of lumbar spine fusion (LSF) is associated with increased dislocation risk following total hip arthroplasty (THA), the effect of LSF following THA is not well described. This study sought to describe the dislocation-free survival experience of patients with THA undergoing LSF, compare this to similar patients not undergoing LSF, and assess factors associated with dislocation risk following LSF.Center for Medicare Service billing data from 2005 to 2014 was analyzed utilizing the PearlDiver platform. Patients without evidence of hip instability, defined as no dislocation event within at least 6 months following THA, were identified and stratified by having subsequent LSF. Kaplan-Meier curves were used to describe dislocation-free survival of these groups and assess factors associated with dislocation.Among 17,223 patients without history of hip instability following THA, there was no spike in dislocations following LSF with patients having a persistent and stable rate of dislocation of 0.7% per year. This experience was of similar shape but increased hazard when compared to that of 863,182 patients not undergoing LSF who had a dislocation rate of 0.4% per year (P.001). Dislocations were not strongly associated with gender, age, comorbidities, or fusion length.Patients without evidence of hip instability following THA subsequently undergoing LSF do not have a spike in dislocations in the perioperative period but do assume a persistently elevated risk of dislocation. Future research should identify factors responsible for this increased risk to determine whether they may be modifiable.

Background Highly cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) is reported to have low rates of linear and volumetric wear at 10-14 years. In a prior study, larger (36 and 40 mm) femoral heads were associated with more volumetric wear, but there were only 12 hips with these heads. Methods We evaluated 107 hips (93 patients, with a mean age of 76 years) with one design of uncemented acetabular component, a 36 (90 hips) or 40 mm (17 hips) metal femoral head, and one electron beam 100 kGy irradiated and remelted XLPE at a mean follow-up of 8 years (range 5-13 years). Selection of these femoral heads was based on several factors, including the perceived risk of dislocation, the outer diameter size of the acetabular component, and liner availability. Measurements of linear and volumetric wear were performed in one experienced laboratory by the Martell method and analyzed using the first-to-last method. Standard radiographs, with additional Judet views, were used to detect periprosthetic osteolysis. Clinical records were used to determine the complications of dislocation, liner fracture, and painful trunnion corrosion. Results For the entire cohort, the median linear wear rate was 0.041 mm/y (95% confidence interval, 0.031-0.057) and the median volumetric wear rate was 34.6 mm 3 /y (95% confidence interval, 31.4-53.5). With the numbers available, there was no difference in linear or volumetric wear between the 36 and 40 mm head sizes. Small, asymptomatic osteolytic lesions were noted in 3 hips (2%). There were 3 patients (3%) with dislocation (2 early and 1 late), but these have not had a revision. There were no revisions for loosening, no liner fracture, and no patient with symptomatic trunnion corrosion. Conclusion This acetabular component and XLPE with large metal heads had low rates of linear and volumetric wear. Large metal femoral heads did not lead to liner fracture, loosening, or symptomatic trunnion corrosion in this patient population. However, we recommend longer clinical follow-up studies and caution in the routine use of larger metal femoral heads in other, younger patient populations.

Background Prostheses with varus-valgus constraint (VVC) are increasingly utilized in primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) to address coronal malalignment and instability though little is known regarding the association between added constraint and aseptic loosening. We sought to systematically review the literature for reports of VVC in primary TKA and meta-analyze clinical results and implant survival. Methods PubMed was searched using broad terms to identify articles reporting VVC in primary TKA. Any article reporting clinical or survival outcomes was included. Clinical scores, close to 2 years postoperatively were converted to standardized mean differences, and the latest survival estimates were weighted using the inverse of their variance and meta-analyzed. Results Three hundred ninety-two search results were reviewed identifying 30 relevant articles reporting on 3620 knees in total. The estimate for the improvement in clinical scores postoperatively was 3.1 standard deviations (95% confidence interval 2.6-3.6). The estimate for implant revision slowly increased from 1% at 2 years to 2% at 6 years and then began to increase more rapidly beyond this point. The estimated revision rate was 9% by 12 years and 28% by 20 years. This revision rate estimate was stable with and without the inclusion of outlying studies. Conclusion VVC in primary TKA is associated with significant clinical improvement without significant risk of early failure. Meta-regression estimates raise concerns for significant revision risk with extended follow-up, especially beyond 5 years. In the absence of new data, VVC should continue to be used cautiously in the primary TKA.

Background We report on the midterm linear and volumetric wear of highly cross-linked polyethylene (HXLPE) and survivorship of 2 prospective young total hip arthroplasty (THA) cohorts that differed by the size of ceramic femoral head used: 28 vs 32 mm. Methods We prospectively analyzed 220 consecutive primary THAs in patients aged ≤50 years who received a cementless THA with a ceramic femoral head on HXLPE liner (C-HXLPE). There were 101 patients (46%) with 28-mm heads and 119 patients (54%) who received 32-mm heads at a mean follow-up of 5.5 years (range, 60-109 months). Wear was calculated using Martell Software. Results The 28-mm C-HXLPE cohort demonstrated average linear and volumetric wear of 0.020 mm/y (standard deviation [SD], 0.074; 95% CI, 0.003-0.037) and 18.775 mm 3 /y (SD, 21.743; 95% CI, 13.773-23.778) compared with 0.032 mm/y (SD, 0.087; 95% CI, 0.013-0.050]) and 29.847 mm 3 /y (SD, 35.441; 95% CI, 22.294-37.401) in the 32-mm C-HXLPE group. Subgroup analysis by gender and head size discovered significantly greater wear in females with 32-mm heads compared with 28-mm heads in both linear (0.01, 95% CI = −0.014 to 0.033 vs 0.048, 95% CI = 0.022-0.074 mm/y, P = .004) and volumetric wear (14.11, 95% CI = 8.957-19.271] vs 29.71, 95% CI = 17.584-41.840] mm 3 /y, P = .009). We found a 96% (95% CI = 92.30%-97.94%]) survivorship by Kaplan-Meier analysis at minimum 5 years with no failures because of osteolysis. Conclusions Ceramic on HXLPE demonstrates extremely low wear properties in young patients at midterm follow-up. We identified a gender-dependent difference in wear based on head size, with 32-mm heads being associated with increased wear in females.

Background Highly cross-linked polyethylene (HXLPE) is the most commonly used bearing surface in total hip arthroplasty (THA) because of its superior wear properties, but long-term results in young patients are limited. Mid-term survivorship has been promising; however, polyethylene wear rates and need for revision surgeries remain a concern in this population. The purpose of our study is to investigate polyethylene wear rates, implant survivorship, wear-related revisions, and patient-reported outcomes in a young patient cohort at 15-year follow-up. Methods We performed a retrospective study of a prospective longitudinal cohort of 82 consecutive patients (89 hips) who underwent primary THA with an HXLPE acetabular liner and a cobalt-chromium femoral head. The mean age at the time of surgery for the cohort was 38.8 years (range 12-50). All patients received HXLPE liners with a cementless acetabular component coupled with a cobalt-chrome femoral head through a posterior approach with a cementless femoral component. All components were from a single manufacturer. We recorded University of California, Los Angeles Activity, and modified Harris Hip Scores. Wear calculations were made using the Martell Hip Analysis Suite (Version 8.0.4.3). Results At average 15 years (range 13.1-18.5), there was a revision-free survivorship of 97.8% in our HXLPE group with no wear-related revisions. We observed a linear wear rate of 0.0185 mm/y (standard deviation 0.05) after accounting for a 1-year bedding-in period. The volumetric wear rate was found to be 12.80 mm3/y (standard deviation 22.69). These numbers are registered as clinically undetectable and are comparable to steady state wear rates in the same cohort of patients at earlier time points. We found no radiographic changes concerning osteolysis. We observed excellent patient-reported outcomes at this time point with improvements in modified Harris Hip Scores (35.3 [22.5], P Conclusion At 15-year follow-up, we demonstrated that HXLPE bearings in this young cohort had excellent wear properties, maintained superior clinical improvements, and underwent no wear-related revision operations. The HXLPE and cobalt-chrome bearing couple continues to be extremely effective 15 years after primary THA in patients less than 50 years. Level of Evidence IV.

Background Total hip arthroplasty (THA) remains a successful procedure for most patients. However, there is a paucity of information regarding the long-term performance of conventional polyethylene (CPE) bearings in young patients undergoing THA. Methods After accounting for incomplete follow-up of a prospective cohort of 123 THAs in patients ≤50 years, we performed a retrospective review of 101 hips in 84 patients (82.1%) with an average 17.1-year follow-up (14.7-19.6 years). Outcomes of interest included linear and volumetric wear, clinical outcome scores, implant survivorship, and patient mortality. Wear rates were calculated using Martell Software. Results Wear analysis revealed median linear and volumetric wear rates of 0.106 mm/y (confidence interval, 0.079-0.133) and 43.58 mm3/y (confidence interval, 33.4-53.75). The modified Harris hip scores improved by 36 points while University of California, Los Angeles activity scores improved by 2.0 points at 15-year follow-up (P Conclusion Because CPE was commonly used in THA over the last 25 years, it is important to understand its implications on the growing revision burden. Significant concerns exist with regard to the long-term durability of CPE bearings in young, moderately active patients 15 years after THA. These patients should be followed closely for wear-related problems. Our results should be used as a comparison when evaluating the outcomes of more modern bearing surface combinations.

Patients 50 years or younger are at high risk for wear-related complications of their total hip arthroplasty (THA) because of their generally higher levels of activity. Highly crosslinked polyethylene (HXLPE) is believed to be more durable for this population than conventional polyethylene because of its improved wear; however, limited information is available on the wear of HXLPE in this population, particularly the wear of HXLPE when it articulates with alternative bearings like Oxinium (SmithNephew, Memphis, TN, USA).The purpose of this study was to evaluate two questions relative to this population of patients undergoing THA. First, what was the linear and volumetric wear rate of HXLPE in patients 50 years or younger at a minimum followup of 9 years and was osteolysis observed in any of these hips? Given the potential for damage to the Oxinium femoral head surface, was the wear of HXLPE in the patients with this material similar to the other bearings or was there accelerated or runaway wear that was visible in any of the patients?From November 1999 to April 2005, 105 THAs were performed in 95 patients 50 years of age or younger (mean, 42 years; range, 20-50 years). The mean body mass index was 30 kg/m(2) (range, 17-51 kg/m(2)).The mean followup was 12 years (range, 9-14 years). Two patients died, five patients (one bilateral) were lost to followup, and one hip was revised elsewhere for pain. The patients' information was not included in the study, which left 87 patients with 96 hips for analysis. Highly crosslinked polyethylene was the acetabular bearing for all of the hips. We analyzed the linear and volumetric wear of all of the hips using the Martell method. Eighty hips had the same diameter head (28 mm) allowing us to more accurately compare the different bearing materials. The type of femoral head used was related to our sequential use of materials beginning with cobalt chrome (14), ceramic (23) followed by Oxinium (43) in the hips with 28-mm heads. Although cobalt-chrome was used early in this study, our previous experience with ceramic on polyethylene encouraged us to use it as an alternative bearing. The Oxinium was used consecutively for the remaining hips.The mean wear of the HXLPE after 1 year of bedding-in (true linear wear)was 0.022 mm/year (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.015-0.030 mm/year). The mean volumetric wear of HXLPE after 1 year of bedding-in (true volumetric wear) was 9 mm(3)/year (95% CI, 4-14 mm(3)/year). None of the hip radiographs had evidence of loosening or osteolysis. Wear was not associated with femoral head material (p = 0.58 for linear wear/year versus head material and p = 0.52 for volumetric wear/year versus head material).In our study of patients 50 years of age or younger undergoing THA, the linear and volumetric wear rates of HXLPE were very low regardless of the bearing surface material. The laboratory concerns of Oxinium surface damage are serious but at this time we have not seen high wear of the HXLPE or osteolysis in this population.Level III, therapeutic study.

Although cemented all polyethylene (PE) cups have been routinely used in total hip arthroplasty for decades, no computer-assisted method for measurement of radiographic wear has ever been specifically validated for these implants. Using a validated hip phantom model, AP plain hip radiographs were obtained consecutively for eight simulated wear positions. A version of Martell's Hip Analysis Suite software dedicated to all polyethylene sockets was used by three different examiners of varied experience. Bias (mean, standard deviation and 95% confidence interval limit), repeatability (standard deviation and 95% limit) and reproducibility (standard deviation and 95% limit) for two-dimensional wear measurements were assessed, as recommended by the current ASTM guidelines. Using this protocol, the dedicated software showed an overall mean bias of 0.089 ± 0.060 mm (mean ± SD), and 0.118 mm for 95% CI limit. Repeatability (intra examiner) standard deviation and 95% limit were respectively 0.106 mm and 0.292 mm. Reproducibility (inter examiner) standard deviation and 95% limit were respectively 0.112 mm and 0.308 mm. Martell Hip Analysis for all PE cemented cups is a reliable and low-cost instrument in the assessment of wear, despite being less precise than its original version dedicated to cementless components. © 2015 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 33:???–???, 2015.

Background: A comprehensive evaluation of hip radiographs in the young adult with hip pain has become increasingly complex and time consuming. The interobserver reliability of manually performed measurements of femoroacetabular impingement, including the alpha angle, has been questioned. Methods to improve the reliability of a radiographic evaluation may increase the clinical utility of these parameters. Purpose: To determine the interobserver and intraobserver reliability of a computer-assisted radiographic analysis of the young adult hip in a clinically relevant setting. Study Design: Cohort study (diagnosis); Level of evidence, 3. Methods: A reliability study of a comprehensive computer-assisted radiographic evaluation was performed, which included 25 radiographic parameters of proximal femoral morphology, acetabular morphology, hip osteoarthritis, and pelvic tilt/rotation. Anteroposterior pelvis and 45° Dunn lateral radiographs of 70 consecutive patients undergoing hip preservation surgery were included. Each radiograph was analyzed by 4 experienced hip surgeons. The reliability of continuous measurements was analyzed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs), while categorical parameters were analyzed using κ values and percentages of agreement. Results: The interobserver reliability of the parameters of proximal femoral morphology, acetabular morphology, and osteoarthritis was generally substantial to excellent. Parameters with lesser interobserver reliability included the alpha angle (ICC, 0.43), Tönnis osteoarthritis classification (κ = 0.22), and classification of pelvic tilt (using the coccyx or sacrococcygeal joint) (κ = 0.43 and 0.61, respectively). Conclusion: A computer-assisted analysis of young adult hip radiographs generally demonstrates substantial to excellent levels of interobserver reliability for most parameters. However, alpha angle measurements demonstrated only moderate interobserver reliability, despite excellent intraobserver reliability. Measurements of the joint space width appear to be significantly more reliable than the use of the Tönnis osteoarthritis classification in this population. The classification of pelvic tilt utilizing the coccyx or sacrococcygeal joint is only moderately reliable.

Periprosthetic osteolysis is a disease attributed to the body's reaction to fine polyethylene wear debris shed from total hip replacements. The purpose of this preliminary study was to investigate the ability of radiographic texture analysis (RTA) to characterize the trabecular texture patterns on pelvic images for osteolysis and normal total hip arthroplasty (THA) cases.Fourier-based and fractal-based texture features were calculated for a database of digitized radiographs from 202 THA cases, 70 of which developed osteolysis. The features were calculated from regions of interest selected at two time points: less than 1 month after surgery, and at the first clinical indication of osteolysis (or randomly selected follow-up time for normal cases). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to compare feature performance at baseline and follow-up for osteolysis and normal cases.Separation between the RTA features for osteolysis and normal cases was negligible at baseline and increased substantially for the follow-up images. The directional Fourier-based feature provided the best separation with an A(z) value from ROC analysis of 0.75 for the follow-up images, in the task of distinguishing between normal and osteolytic cases.The results from this preliminary analysis indicate that qualitative changes in trabecular patterns from immediately after surgery to the eventual detection of osteolysis correspond to quantitative changes in RTA features. It therefore appears that RTA provides information that could potentially be useful to aid in the detection of this disease.

Periprosthetic osteolysis is one of the most serious long-term problems in total hip arthroplasty. It has been primarily attributed to the body's inflammatory response to submicron polyethylene particles worn from the hip implant, and it leads to bone loss and structural deterioration in the surrounding bone. It was previously demonstrated that radiographic texture analysis (RTA) has the ability to distinguish between osteolysis and normal cases at the time of clinical detection of the disease; however, that analysis did not take into account the changes in texture over time. The goal of this preliminary analysis, however, is to assess the ability of temporal radiographic texture analysis (tRTA) to distinguish between patients who develop osteolysis and normal cases. Two tRTA methods were used in the study: the RTA feature change from baseline at various follow-up intervals and the slope of the best-fit line to the RTA data series. These tRTA methods included Fourier-based and fractal-based features calculated from digitized images of 202 total hip replacement cases, including 70 that developed osteolysis. Results show that separation between the osteolysis and normal groups increased over time for the feature difference method, as the disease progressed, with area under the curve (AUC) values from receiver operating characteristic analysis of 0.65 to 0.72 at 15 years postsurgery. Separation for the slope method was also evident, with AUC values ranging from 0.65 to 0.76 for the task of distinguishing between osteolysis and normal cases. The results suggest that tRTA methods have the ability to measure changes in trabecular structure, and may be useful in the early detection of periprosthetic osteolysis.

Background Quantifying ideal component position for the acetabulum and stem during total hip arthroplasty (THA) has been described by many methods. A new imaging method using low-dose digital stereoradiography, the EOS imaging system, is a biplanar low-dose X-ray system that allows for 3-dimensional modeling of lower limbs and semiautomated measurement of pelvic parameters and implant alignment. Methods Twenty-five patients who underwent primary THA by a single surgeon between October 2014 and December 2014 were retrospectively selected. Only patients with unilateral THA without associated spine pathologies were included, totaling 16 right hips and 9 left hips. There were 8 men and 17 women in the cohort, with a mean age of 67 years (range, 53-82). Three individuals performed measurements of pelvic parameters and implant alignment on 3 separate occasions. An interclass correlation of >0.75 was accepted as evidence of excellent agreement and a confirmation of measurement reliability. Results Before reviewing patient radiographs, 4 pelvic phantom models were analyzed using the EOS 3-dimensional software to verify accuracy. All anatomic and implant measurements performed by the 3 independent reviewers showed interobserver and intraobserver agreement with interclass correlation >0.75. Conclusion Three-dimensional modeling of hip implants with the EOS imaging system is a reasonable option for the evaluation of component position after THA.

Highly cross-linked polyethylene (HXLPE) is the most commonly used bearing surface in total hip arthroplasty (THA) because of its superior wear properties, but long-term results in young patients are limited. We report on the clinical outcome, radiographic wear patterns and survivorship of 72 patients ≤50 years old who had a 28-millimeter cobalt-chromium femoral head on HXLPE acetabular liner. Mean and median true linear wear rates at average ten-year follow-up were 0.0104 and 0.01 mm per year ± 0.07 mm. Mean and median two-dimensional volumetric wear rates were 12.79 mm(3) and 5.834 mm(3) per year ± 26.1mm(3) as determined by Martell analysis. As a result of the minimal wear profile, there was no evidence of radiographic osteolysis and no wear-related revisions.

Highly crosslinked polyethylene (XLPE) was introduced to decrease periprosthetic osteolysis related to polyethylene wear, a major reason for revision of total hip arthroplasty. However, there are few reports of wear and osteolysis at 10 years postoperatively.(1) What are the linear and volumetric wear rates of XLPE at 10 to 14 years? (2) What is the relationship among linear wear, volumetric wear, and femoral head size? (3) What proportion of hips developed osteolysis and was there a relationship between osteolysis and femoral head size or polyethylene wear?We evaluated a previously reported cohort of 84 hips (72 patients) with one design of an uncemented acetabular component and one electron beam 10-kGy irradiated and remelted XLPE at a mean followup of 11 years (range, 10-14 years). The choice of femoral head size was based on several factors, including the outer diameter size of the acetabular component implanted, the perceived risk of dislocation (including the history of alcohol abuse and patient age), and liner availability from the manufacturer. The femoral head sizes used were 26 mm in 10 hips (12%), 28 mm in 31 hips (37%), 32 mm in 31 hips (37%), 36 mm in eight hips (10%), and 40 mm in four hips (5%). Measurements of linear and volumetric wear were performed in one experienced laboratory by the Martell method and analyzed using the first-to-last method. Standard radiographs, with additional Judet views, were used to detect periprosthetic osteolysis. Statistical analysis of wear and osteolysis compared with head size was performed.For the entire cohort, the median linear wear rate as 0.024 mm/year (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.016-0.030) and the median volumetric wear rate was 12.19 mm(3)/year (95% CI, 6.6-15.7). With the numbers available, we found no association between femoral head size and linear wear rate. However, larger femoral heads were associated with more volumetric wear; 36/40-mm femoral heads had higher volumetric wear (median 26.1; 95% CI, 11.3-47.1) than did 26-mm heads (median 3.1; 95% CI, 0.7-12.3), 28-mm heads (median 12.3; 95% CI, 3.0-19.3), and 32-mm heads (median 12.9; 95% CI, 6.6-16.8; p = 0.02). Small osteolytic lesions were noted in 12 hips (14%), but with the numbers available, there was no association with head size or volumetric wear rates.This uncemented acetabular component and this particular XLPE had low rates of linear and volumetric wear. Small osteolytic lesions were noted at 10 to 14 years but were not related to femoral head size or linear or volumetric wear rates. We recommend additional longer-term clinical followup studies and perhaps alternative imaging studies of patients with XLPE and osteolysis.Level III, therapeutic study.

We compared clinical outcomes and polyethylene wear for 2 young primary THA patient cohorts (3, p

Steady-state penetration rates were determined on 53 total hip arthroplasties with a minimum 3-year follow-up using electron beam highly cross-linked melted polyethylene by determining the femoral head penetration occurring after the first year in vivo. These data were compared with that of a matched control group. The average steady-state penetration rate of the control group was 144 ± 191 μ m/y, significantly higher than that of the highly cross-linked polyethylene group, 25 ± 99 μ m/y ( P = .0001). Linear regression analysis indicated that the magnitude of femoral head penetration did not increase with time in the cross-linked groups. Also, no significant difference existed between the steady-state wear rates of the highly cross-linked groups with two head sizes (28 vs 32 mm, P = .39).

UNLABELLED Radiostereometry has high precision and accuracy measuring polyethylene wear in total hip arthroplasty but requires a specialized setup. The Martell method is simpler and can be used on larger populations. The hypothesis that the radiostereometry analysis and the Martell analysis would yield comparable wear data from the same group of patients having total hip arthroplasty was tested. A group of twenty-five total hip arthroplasty patients who had both radiostereometry and standard anterior-posterior pelvic and cross-table lateral radiographs of sufficient quality for analysis were identified. The films were taken at postoperative periods of 6 weeks, 1 year, 2 years, and 5 years. Femoral head penetration was measured by both methods at each time point. The median penetration rates measured by each method decreased over time. Penetration results were affected by method of analysis, time, and dimension, with greater penetration for Martell compared with radiostereometry at each time point, greater penetration with increasing time for each method, and larger three-dimensional magnitude compared with two-dimensional analysis. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Case series Level IV. See Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

BACKGROUND: Studies of acetabular reconstruction with use of cement and bulk bone graft have demonstrated increasing rates of cup failure in patients with dysplastic hips seven years after total hip arthroplasty. Comparable data on the long-term results of bulk bone-grafting done in conjunction with cementless implants are limited. The aim of this study was to review the clinical and radiographic results of autologous bulk bone-grafting in conjunction with a cementless cup. METHODS: From 1987 to 1992, forty-seven patients (forty women and seven men, with an average age of 50.4 years) who had developmental dysplasia of the hip underwent fifty-six total hip arthroplasties and received a structural graft in combination with a cementless Harris-Galante type-I cup. All patients were followed prospectively. In fifty-five hips, implant migration was measured with single-image radiographic analysis. RESULTS: After an average duration (and standard deviation) of 10.2 ± 2.9 years, three patients (four hips) had died. In the surviving patients, four implants had been revised and two had radiographic evidence of loosening. With use of revision and loosening as end points, the eleven-year survival rates were 91.6% and 88.9%, respectively. Of the fifty implants that had no loosening, fourteen had measurable cup migration, thirty-five had no migration, and one implant could not be measured. All migrations but one were progressive. With loosening used as the end point, the survival rate at eleven years was 100% for the implants with no migration; however, the survival rate for the cups that had migrated was 69.3% (p = 0.0012). CONCLUSIONS: The eleven-year survival rate for the spherical press-fit cups in combination with bulk bone-grafting is satisfactory, given the complexity of these reconstructions. However, the difference between the survival of the implants that had migrated and those that had not was significant. We expect that the thirteen implants with progressive acetabular migration at the time of the latest follow-up are at risk for loosening, which will increase the revision rate for this series in the coming years.

Due to the uneven and often inadequate quality of cross-table lateral hip radiographs, many radiographic studies of femoral head penetration into polyethylene in total hip arthroplasty are limited to the two-dimensional measurement of femoral head penetration using the A/P film only. We postulated that the use of two oblique frontal projections at 90 degrees to each other would improve the three-dimensional evaluation. Using an established hip phantom, the idealized accuracy and precision of the three-dimensional Martell method was evaluated, contrasting the standard A/P and cross-table lateral projections versus a pair of oblique projections by four independent readers. Accuracy and precision resulting from the use of two oblique projections (average accuracy +/-63 microm, precision +/-26 microm) were similar to that obtained using the conventional A/P and cross-table lateral views (accuracy +/-54 microm, precision +/-22 microm), though the results of the two oblique views were slightly more variable. These observations suggest that by using two oblique A/P projections, the major disadvantage of using the cross-table lateral films, namely the variable quality of the images, is avoided. Perhaps, therefore, the utility and availability of three-dimensional data in comparable clinical studies may be improved.

We report the 2-year results for a prospective randomized trial comparing highly cross-linked with standard polyethylene in total hip replacements. In our study, 46 hips were available for radiographic analysis at 2- and 3-year follow-up. Femoral bearings were 28-mm cobalt chrome with the polyethylene insert randomly selected at the time of implantation to be highly cross-linked polyethylene (Crossfire; Stryker Howmedica Osteonics, Allendale, NJ) or standard polyethylene (N(2)/Vac, Stryker Howmedica Osteonics). Polyethylene wear rates were measured based on anterior-posterior (AP) and lateral pelvis radiographs at 6 weeks and at yearly intervals using a validated computer-assisted edge-detection method. Wear rates between the 2 groups were compared using the nonparametric Mann-Whitney test at the 95% level. A significant reduction in 2- and 3-dimensional linear wear rates (42% and 50%) was found in the highly cross-linked group (P =.001 and P =.005).

The accurate determination of acetabular polyethylene wear in vivo is necessary to assess the clinical performance of the bearing surfaces of total hip replacements. Our objective in this study was to determine the clinical performance of two and three-dimensional computerized wear analysis and to assess the implications of this performance on requirements for patient enrollment in studies designed to detect wear of total hip prostheses.Two and three-dimensional digital computerized analyses of acetabular polyethylene wear were performed on 153 hips in 140 patients. The acetabular components consisted of a polyethylene insert in a titanium shell, articulating with a 28-mm cobalt-chromium femoral component. The average duration of radiographic follow-up was 8.4 years. The correlation coefficient for two-dimensional versus three-dimensional analysis was calculated, as was the difference between the wear detected by the two techniques. The same observer analyzed each image twice, allowing an assessment of the repeatability of the two-dimensional and three-dimensional analyses. The impact of the clinical performance of each technique on the sample size needed for adequate power in prospective studies was evaluated.There was a high correlation between two-dimensional and three-dimensional wear analysis (r (2) = 0.933). In thirty-one (5.2%) of 595 observations, the wear values derived with the two-dimensional and three-dimensional techniques were not consistent. Logistic regression demonstrated that acetabular anteversion had a significant effect on the likelihood of such inconsistency occurring. The two-dimensional technique detected 90.1% of the total linear wear subsequently detected by the three-dimensional analysis. The average wear value was 1.09 mm as detected by two-dimensional analysis and 1.21 mm as detected by three-dimensional analysis. The two-dimensional technique was four times more repeatable than the three-dimensional technique. Power analysis indicated that up to 1.4 times more patients need to be enrolled if the three-dimensional technique is used for wear analysis.While three-dimensional analysis detected 10% more wear, its repeatability was four times worse than that of the two-dimensional technique and, as a consequence, patient enrollment requirements for wear detection were higher. The poor quality of the lateral radiographs contributed to the decrease in the repeatability of the three-dimensional analysis. Three-dimensional analysis may be useful for highly anteverted cups, but the limited improvement in wear detection achieved with that technique, coupled with its inferior repeatability, limits its clinical value.

Polyethylene wear (linear penetration) in 37 hip replacements was assessed from digital images using a validated two-dimensional, edge detection-based computer algorithm. Patient activity was assessed with a pedometer, a step activity monitor and a simple visual analog scale. Joint use was related to wear at the 90% confidence level. Without three recognized outliers, wear was highly correlated to use. The visual analog scale activity rating was significantly related to wear for the 24 hip replacements with standard polyethylene. Univariate regression analysis indicated that male gender, height, weight (which were both highly correlated to male gender) and hip center of rotation were significantly correlated to wear. Multivariate regression analysis indicated that male gender, femoral off-set, and Hylamer® were significantly correlated to wear. Based on the wear and activity data from the 24 hip replacements with standard polyethylene, the average volumetric wear rate per million cycles with a 70 kg patient weight was 30 mm 3 . This unique in vivo result can be considered a target wear rate for standard polyethylene in hip simulator studies.

Rationale and Objectives. In the noninvasive evaluation of bone quality, bone mineral density (BMD) has been shown to be the single most important predictor of bone strength and osteoporosis-related fracture. Among the methods of measuring BMD, dual x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) has widespread acceptance due to its low radiation, low cost, and high precision. However, DXA measures area BMD instead of true volumetric density; thus, a larger bone will tend to have a high BMD than will a smaller bone. Therefore, the comparison of BMDs of bones of different sizes can be misleading. In this study, the authors tried to compensate for the size effect by normalizing the area BMD with bone size as measured from a standard pelvic radiograph. Materials and Methods. The overall method for calculation of normalized BMD included conventional areabased BMD from DXA and the extraction of geometric measures from pelvic radiographs. The database for analysis included 34 femoral neck specimens. Regression analysis was performed between the normalized volumetric BMD, measured from femoral neck region, and the mechanical properties obtained from trabecular bone cubes machined from the same region. Results. After normalization of the area BMD, the coefficient of determination increased from 0.30 to 0.43 for the Young modulus and from 0.27 to 0.37 for bone compressive strength. Conclusion. A noninvasive method of normalizing BMD can improve the prediction of bone mechanical properties and has potential in monitoring changes in growing skeletons and in the clinical evaluation of bone quality.

We describe a computer-assisted vector wear technique for the determination of polyethylene wear on digital radiographs. Twenty-five hips that had had a total hip arthroplasty were used to evaluate the repeatability and performance of three radiographic techniques to measure wear of the acetabular polyethylene liner: the manual technique with use of calipers described by Livermore et al., the same technique with use of a digitizing tablet, and our new technique of computer-assisted vector wear analysis. We found our new technique to be at least ten times more repeatable than the technique with use of either calipers or a digitizing tablet. Fourteen of the polyethylene liners were retrieved at autopsy, and the actual measurements of wear of those liners were compared with the measurements that had been obtained with the three radiographic techniques of wear analysis. Computer-assisted vector wear analysis outperformed the manual techniques of Livermore et al. When compared with the data obtained from the specimens retrieved at autopsy, the measurement of wear determined with the computer-assisted technique differed by an average of 0.08 millimeter, whereas the measurements obtained with use of calipers and use of a digitizing tablet differed by 0.26 and 0.25 millimeter, respectively. The performance of computer-assisted vector wear analysis in the clinical setting was evaluated with use of controls with known amounts of wear. These were mounted in pelvic phantoms, and radiographs were made with use of a setup that simulated the clinical setting. Analysis of nine controls with 2.0 millimeters of wear yielded an average measurement of wear (and a standard deviation) of 1.99 ± 0.21 millimeters. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Computer-assisted vector wear analysis demonstrated superior repeatability and accuracy compared with current techniques of manual analysis. Improved repeatability and accuracy in the determination of polyethylene wear should facilitate the investigation of factors related to the prosthesis and to the patient that affect the rates of wear.

Femoral component fracture is a documented but an uncommon complication of total hip arthroplasty. A retrospective survey conducted by the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons estimated the prevalence of femoral component fractures at 0.27% (172 of 64483 implants over a 5-year period ending in 1993) [1,2]. There have been several case reports [2,3] of fatigue fractures of the prosthetic neck distal to the Morse taper in modular implants with a cobalt alloy head and a cobalt alloy stem. Here, we present a case report of stem fracture within the Morse taper of a cobalt alloy stem coupled with a cobalt alloy head.

Highly crosslinked polyethylene (HXLPE) in THA was developed to reduce particle-induced periprosthetic osteolysis. A series of clinical studies were initiated to determine the clinical efficacy as judged by patient-reported scores, radiographic osteolysis, and wear analysis of one form of HXLPE.The purposes of this series of studies were to (1) determine the wear rates of one form of HXLPE; (2) report long-term (7-10 years) patient-reported outcome measures; (3) assess the effect of femoral head size on wear; and (4) determine the incidence of periprosthetic osteolysis.A single-center and two multicenter studies were conducted on 768 primary patients (head size 26-36 mm) undergoing THA at eight medical centers. Patient-reported outcome scores, radiographic grading for osteolysis, and radiographic wear evaluation were performed.Serial plain radiographs showed no periprosthetic osteolysis in the three studies. The average femoral head penetration rates did not correlate with time in vivo for patients with standard femoral head sizes. Although there was an indication of higher wear in patients with 36-mm diameter femoral heads, it was below the threshold for producing osteolysis.The introduction of this HXLPE substantially improved the prognosis of patients after THA up to 13 years as judged by clinical scores, incidence of osteolysis, and polyethylene wear measurements.Level III, therapeutic study. See the Guideline for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

We investigated factors that were thought to be associated with an increased incidence of squeaking of ceramic-on-ceramic total hip replacements. Between June 1997 and December 2008 the three senior authors implanted 2406 primary total hip replacements with a ceramic-on-ceramic bearing surface. The mean follow-up was 10.6 years. The diagnosis was primary osteoarthritis in each case, and no patient had undergone previous surgery to the hip. We identified 74 squeaking hips (73 patients) giving an incidence of 3.1% at a mean follow-up of 9.5 years (4.1 to 13.3). Taller, heavier and younger patients were significantly more likely to have hips that squeaked. Squeaking hips had a significantly higher range of post-operative internal (p = 0.001) and external rotation (p = 0.003) compared with silent hips. Patients with squeaking hips had significantly higher activity levels (p = 0.009). A squeaking hip was not associated with a significant difference in patient satisfaction (p = 0.24) or Harris hip score (p = 0.34). Four implant position factors enabled good prediction of squeaking. These were high acetabular component inclination, high femoral offset, lateralisation of the hip centre and either high or low acetabular component anteversion. This is the largest study to date to examine patient factors and implant position factors that predispose to squeaking of a ceramic-on-ceramic hip. The results suggest that factors which increase the mechanical forces across the hip joint and factors which increase the risk of neck-to-rim impingement, and therefore edge-loading, are those that predispose to squeaking.

Minimally invasive surgical procedures offer advantages of smaller incisions, decreased hospital length of stay, and rapid postoperative recovery to the patient. Surgical robots improve access and visualization intraoperatively and have expanded the indications for minimally invasive procedures. A limitation of the DaVinci surgical robot is a lack of sensory feedback to the operative surgeon. Experienced robotic surgeons use visual interpretation of tissue and suture deformation as a surrogate for tactile feedback. A difficulty encountered during robotic surgery is maintaining adequate suture tension while tying knots or following a running anastomotic suture. Displaying suture strain in real time has potential to decrease the learning curve and improve the performance and safety of robotic surgical procedures. Conventional strain measurement methods involve installation of complex sensors on the robotic instruments. This paper presents a noninvasive video processing-based method to determine strain in surgical sutures. The method accurately calculates strain in suture by processing video from the existing surgical camera, making implementation uncomplicated. The video analysis method was developed and validated using video of suture strain standards on a servohydraulic testing system. The video-based suture strain algorithm is shown capable of measuring suture strains of 0.2% with subpixel resolution and proven reliability under various conditions.

Background: Wear of the ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene articular surface has been recognized as a major factor threatening the long-term success of total hip arthroplasty. Manual techniques that have been used to measure femoral head penetration into the polyethylene have been plagued with poor reproducibility and limited accuracy. Using a previously described phantom model simulating an unworn total hip arthroplasty, we previously demonstrated significant limitations in the accuracy of several widely used computerized wear measurement programs. A major component of these inaccuracies is projectional distortion of the femoral head and acetabular shell on the radiograph. These inaccuracies can be “corrected for” mathematically. Methods: In the present follow-up study, we evaluated a widely used hip wear measurement software program (Hip Analysis Suite version 8.0.3.0) that corrects for these projectional errors with use of our previously described “zero wear” phantom model. A cementless metal-backed acetabular component was evaluated radiographically at three different cephalocaudad locations with respect to a radiopaque centering target. At all three positions, the cup was aligned in three different angles of planar abduction (35°, 45°, 55°) and four angles of planar anteversion (10°, 20°, 30°, 40°). The accuracy and reproducibility of Hip Analysis Suite version 8.0.3.0 were determined and compared with the results obtained with the earlier version, Hip Analysis Suite version 4.0. Results: Hip Analysis Suite version 8.0.3.0 was significantly more accurate than Hip Analysis Suite version 4.0 for determining linear wear and volumetric wear. Hip Analysis Suite version 8.0.3.0 was significantly more accurate for determining femoral head penetration at the different cephalocaudad acetabular positions and over the range of acetabular component anteversion and abduction angles in comparison with Hip Analysis Suite version 4.0. Conclusions: With use of the same methodology that was used to evaluate earlier versions of Hip Analysis Suite, the present study showed improvement in the accuracy of wear measurement with Hip Analysis Suite version 8.0.3.0 as compared with Hip Analysis Suite version 4.0. Clinical Relevance: On the basis of the results of the present study, Hip Analysis Suite version 8.0.3.0 appears to fulfill the needs for a user-friendly, efficient, and accurate method of assessment of polyethylene wear following total hip arthroplasty.

Wear of highly cross-linked polyethylene is reportedly independent of head size. To confirm that observation we asked in our population whether head size related to wear with one type of electron beam highly cross-linked polyethylene. Of 146 hips implanted, we evaluated complete clinical and radiographic data for 90 patients (102 hips or 70%). The minimum followup was 5 years (mean, 5.7 years; range, 5–8 years). The head size was selected intraoperatively based on the size of the acetabular component and presumed risk of dislocation. Polyethylene wear measurements were performed in one experienced laboratory using the method of Martell et al. There was no hip with pelvic or femoral osteolysis. The median linear wear rate was 0.028 mm/year (mean, 0.04 mm/year), and the median volumetric wear rate was 25.6 mm3/year (mean, 80.5 mm3/year). Median total volumetric wear was 41.0 mm3 (mean, 98.5 mm3). We found no association between femoral head size and the linear wear rate, but observed an association between larger (36- and 40-mm) head size and volumetric wear rate and total volumetric wear. Although the linear wear rate of polyethylene was not related to femoral head diameter, there was greater volumetric wear (156.6 mm3/year) with the 36- and 40-mm heads. Pending long-term studies of large head sizes, we advise caution in using larger femoral heads in young or active patients and in those with a low risk of dislocation. Level of Evidence: Level IV, therapeutic study. See Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Highly cross-linked polyethylene has been associated with low in vitro wear, but also has decreased in vitro ultimate yield strength. We therefore asked whether highly cross-linked polyethylene would result in lower outcome scores, wear, or early failure in a young patient population. Seventy THAs in 64 patients were performed using a highly cross-linked (electron beam-irradiated to 9 Mrads) acetabular liner and a cobalt-chrome femoral head. The average age of the patients at surgery was 41 years (range, 19-50 years). The minimum followup was 2.4 years (average, 4 years; range, 2.4-6.5 years). We recorded demographic and clinical data, including Harris hip score. Polyethylene wear measurements were analyzed with a validated, computer-assisted, edge detection method. The average Harris hip score improved from 53 to 92 at last followup. There was no evidence of acetabular or femoral loss of fixation, subsidence, or loosening. Linear wear was undetectable at this followup interval. No patient experienced catastrophic failure or underwent revision surgery. These data show low polyethylene wear rates and no catastrophic failures at early followup in a young patient cohort.Level IV, therapeutic study. See the Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Periprosthetic osteolysis is one of the most serious long-term problems in total hip arthroplasty. It has been primarily attributed to the body's inflammatory response to submicron polyethylene particles worn from the hip implant, and it leads to bone loss and structural deterioration in the surrounding bone. It was previously demonstrated that radiographic texture analysis (RTA) has the ability to distinguish between osteolysis and normal cases at the time of clinical detection of the disease; however, that analysis did not take into account the changes in texture over time. The goal of this preliminary analysis, however, is to assess the ability of temporal radiographic texture analysis (tRTA) to distinguish between patients who develop osteolysis and normal cases. Two tRTA methods were used in the study: the RTA feature change from baseline at various follow-up intervals and the slope of the best-fit line to the RTA data series. These tRTA methods included Fourier-based and fractal-based features calculated from digitized images of 202 total hip replacement cases, including 70 that developed osteolysis. Results show that separation between the osteolysis and normal groups increased over time for the feature difference method, as the disease progressed, with area under the curve (AUC) values from receiver operating characteristic analysis of 0.65 to 0.72 at 15 years postsurgery. Separation for the slope method was also evident, with AUC values ranging from 0.65 to 0.76 for the task of distinguishing between osteolysis and normal cases. The results suggest that tRTA methods have the ability to measure changes in trabecular structure, and may be useful in the early detection of periprosthetic osteolysis.

Expensive electronic accelerometers are the only validated method to determine patient activity levels. The aim of this study was to develop a clinical questionnaire to assess patient activity. The Daily Activity Questionnaire (DAQ) was developed and evaluated using 3 groups of patients with osteoarthritis of the hip. A total of 160 patients underwent 855 days of monitoring. Practicability, reliability, and validity of the new questionnaire were assessed. The test-retest reliability of the DAQ was comparable to the electronic accelerometer StepWatch (ICC = 0.77-0.89). A significant correlation between the DAQ and the StepWatch was found (r = 0.742). The DAQ is a reliable and valid instrument to measure patient activity.

Oxidized zirconium, a material with a ceramic surface on a metal substrate, and highly cross-linked polyethylene are two materials developed to reduce wear. We measured in vivo femoral head penetration in patients with these advanced bearings. We hypothesized the linear wear rates would be lower than those published for cobalt-chrome and standard polyethylene. We retrospectively reviewed a select series of 56 THAs in a relatively young, active patient population utilizing oxidized zirconium femoral heads and highly cross-linked polyethylene acetabular liners. Femoral head penetration was determined using the Martell computerized edge-detection method. All patients were available for 2-year clinical and radiographic followup. True linear wear was 4 microm/year (95% confidence intervals, +/- 59 microm/year). The early wear rates in this cohort of relatively young, active patients were low and we believe justify the continued study of these alternative bearing surfaces.Level IV, therapeutic study. See the Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

In total hip replacement different factors have a major impact on wear behaviour and long-term durability. Beside the wear-couple the influence of patient activity is relatively undefined. Aim of this studies was to examine the wear behaviour of alumina heads in combination with conventional polyethylene (PE) (n=99) vs. CoCr heads (n=109), the wear behaviour of alumina heads in combination with highly-crosslinked PE (n=70), and the influence of patient activity in the groups with alumina heads. Linear wear was analyzed using Martell’s method and activity was assessed using electronic step-watch monitors. Compared to CoCr heads the use of alumina significantly reduced linear wear. A further reduction was observed with the combination of alumina and highly-crosslinked PE after a certain period of higher wear during bedding-in. In spite of being nearly 20 years younger the activity in the patients with the highly-crosslinked PE differed only about 20% compared to the patients with conventional PE. In conclusion the selection of the wear-couple has a significant influence on linear wear while patient activity in our study groups was in the same magnitude.

Periprosthetic osteolysis is a disease triggered by the body's response to tiny wear fragments from total hip replacements (THR), which leads to localized bone loss and disappearance of the trabecular bone texture. We have been investigating methods of temporal radiographic texture analysis (tRTA) to help detect periprosthetic osteolysis. One method involves merging feature measurements at multiple time points using an LDA or BANN. The major drawback of this method is that several cases do not meet the inclusion criteria because of missing data, i.e., missing image data at the necessary time intervals. In this research, we investigated imputation methods to fill in missing data points using feature averaging, linear interpolation, and first and second order polynomial fitting. The database consisted of 101 THR cases with full data available from four follow-up intervals. For 200 iterations, missing data were randomly created to simulate a typical THR database, and the missing points were then filled in using the imputation methods. ROC analysis was used to assess the performance of tRTA in distinguishing between osteolysis and normal cases for the full database and each simulated database. The calculated values from the 200 iterations showed that the imputation methods produced negligible bias, and substantially decreased the variance of the AUC estimator, relative to excluding incomplete cases. The best performing imputation methods were those that heavily weighted the data points closest to the missing data. The results suggest that these imputation methods appear to be acceptable means to include cases with missing data for tRTA.

BACKGROUND: Studies of acetabular reconstruction with use of cement and bulk bone graft have demonstrated increasing rates of cup failure in patients with dysplastic hips seven years after total hip arthroplasty. Comparable data on the long-term results of bulk bone-grafting done in conjunction with cementless implants are limited. The aim of this study was to review the clinical and radiographic results of autologous bulk bone-grafting in conjunction with a cementless cup. METHODS: From 1987 to 1992, forty-seven patients (forty women and seven men, with an average age of 50.4 years) who had developmental dysplasia of the hip underwent fifty-six total hip arthroplasties and received a structural graft in combination with a cementless Harris-Galante type-I cup. All patients were followed prospectively. In fifty-five hips, implant migration was measured with single-image radiographic analysis. RESULTS: After an average duration (and standard deviation) of 10.2 ± 2.9 years, three patients (four hips) had died. In the surviving patients, four implants had been revised and two had radiographic evidence of loosening. With use of revision and loosening as end points, the eleven-year survival rates were 91.6% and 88.9%, respectively. Of the fifty implants that had no loosening, fourteen had measurable cup migration, thirty-five had no migration, and one implant could not be measured. All migrations but one were progressive. With loosening used as the end point, the survival rate at eleven years was 100% for the implants with no migration; however, the survival rate for the cups that had migrated was 69.3% (p = 0.0012). CONCLUSIONS: The eleven-year survival rate for the spherical press-fit cups in combination with bulk bone-grafting is satisfactory, given the complexity of these reconstructions. However, the difference between the survival of the implants that had migrated and those that had not was significant. We expect that the thirteen implants with progressive acetabular migration at the time of the latest follow-up are at risk for loosening, which will increase the revision rate for this series in the coming years.

Background Acetabular screw cups seem to give high primary stability. We analyzed the migration and loosening behavior of a first-generation screw cup in a longterm follow-up.Patients and methods We examined 92 uncemented titanium alloy conical screw cups prospectively. Implant migration was assessed with a digital high-precision method (EBRA) with an accuracy of 1.0 mm.Results After mean 11 (0.5–18) years, 87 patients were available for examination and 5 patients had died. 32 implants had been revised and 7 cases showed radiographic evidence of loosening. The 10-year survival rate was 71%. Migration of more than 1 mm occurred in 53 hips. Implant survival was strongly associated with an annual migration of greater than 0.2 mm.Interpretation The long-term behavior of this cup is not satisfactory. In spite of extraordinarily high primary implant stability, secondary osseointegration of this cup often fails. The annual migration rate represents a valid parameter for prediction of implant survival.

Femoral component fracture is a documented but an uncommon complication of total hip arthroplasty. A retrospective survey conducted by the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons estimated the prevalence of femoral component fractures at 0.27% (172 of 64483 implants over a 5-year period ending in 1993) . There have been several case reports of fatigue fractures of the prosthetic neck distal to the Morse taper in modular implants with a cobalt alloy head and a cobalt alloy stem. Here, we present a case report of stem fracture within the Morse taper of a cobalt alloy stem coupled with a cobalt alloy head.

In this study, we compare the in vivo wear performance of electron beam–irradiated, postirradiation-melted, highly cross-linked polyethylene (HXLPE) and traditional UHMWPE via the Martell method. Seventy hips with HXLPE performed at the Massachusetts General Hospital had 138 radiograph pairs for wear analysis and a 31.2-month average follow-up (range, 24-44 months). An age-matched, sex-matched, and body mass index–matched subgroup of 111 hips with 214 acceptable radiograph pairs and a 4-year follow-up from our previously published study on traditional polyethylene performed at Rush-Presbyterian–St. Luke's Medical Center served as a control group. Martell wear analysis was performed for each group. Overall and steady-state wear rates were compared via a specialized t test. The steady-state wear in the HXLPE arm was observed after 2.0 years, was 0.007 mm/y, and was significantly less than the steady-state wear in the traditional arm (0.174 mm/y) ( P = .003). Highly cross-linked polyethylene penetration rate was not affected by sex, age, activity, or body mass index by Mann-Whitney analysis.

Background: Three-dimensional radiographic techniques have been developed to estimate in vivo polyethylene wear of total hip replacements. We are not aware of any published study examining the accuracy of these in vivo methods. Our objective was to validate two radiographic techniques by comparing their results with those obtained directly from retrieved specimens. Methods: A coordinate measuring machine was used to probe the interior bearing surface of seventeen acetabular liners that had been retrieved at revision surgery. Solid models were created to determine volumetric polyethylene loss and linear depth and direction of wear. Two in vivo radiographic techniques (PolyWare and the Martell Hip Analysis Suite) were used to calculate two-dimensional linear, three-dimensional linear, and volumetric wear. The radiographic analysis was done independently, and the results were compared with the known values of polyethylene wear derived with use of the coordinate measuring machine. Results: Correlation coefficients comparing the values for two-dimensional and three-dimensional linear wear and volumetric wear derived with the PolyWare radiographic technique with the values derived with the coordinate measuring machine were r 2 = 0.78, r 2 = 0.75, and r 2 = 0.91, respectively (all p < 0.001), and the correlation coefficients comparing the values derived with the Martell Hip Analysis Suite radiographic technique with those derived with the coordinate measuring machine were r 2 = 0.80, r 2 = 0.84, and r 2 = 0.91, respectively (p < 0.001). The average absolute difference between the radiographic estimates and the results derived with the coordinate measuring machine was approximately 19% (range, 13% to 24%). Conclusions: There was good agreement between the wear estimates made with both in vivo techniques and the measurements of the retrieved polyethylene liners made with the coordinate measuring machine. Two-dimensional wear analysis (based on anteroposterior radiographs) accounted for most of the polyethylene wear, while one technique of three-dimensional wear analysis (PolyWare) demonstrated some additional wear in the lateral plane. Clinical Relevance: The use of two-dimensional measurements, based solely on an anteroposterior radiograph, may suffice in the clinical setting. In this series, these techniques detected relatively large changes in femoral head penetration.

Allthough hip simulator testing shows improved wear behavior for alumina ceramic femoral heads, this fact has not been supported by a clinical series. The aim of this study was to compare the linear wear rates of 28 mm alumina (BIOLOX) vs. Cobalt-Chrome (CoCr) femoral heads in combination with the Harris-Galante-Porous-I and-II acetabular cup with conventional ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) liners. A total of 209 implants were measured by using the computer assisted digital method of Martell. 109 implants received CoCr bearings (mean follow-up = 8 yr., range 2–13) while 100 received alumina bearings (mean follow-up = 5 yr., range 2–9).

Bone architecture is an important factor that determines bone strength in addition to bone mass. Yet it is only bone mass that is measured in bone mineral densitometry (BMD), which is the most common, clinically used method to assess bone strength. Texture analysis of the trabecular bone pattern on radiographs is being investigated as a potential means to characterize the bone architecture. In this study the authors examined the use of an artificial neural network to merge several texture measures to obtain a single measure related to bone strength. The texture analyses were performed on digitised radiographs of excised femoral necks. Compressive strength measurements of the specimens were used in the training of the ANN. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to measure the performance of the ANN in distinguishing between strong and weak bone. With direct exposure radiographs, the ANN achieved an area under the ROC curve (A/sub Z/) of 0.98/spl plusmn/0.05 in consistency testing and 0.83/spl plusmn/0.08 in round-robin analysis. In comparison, BMD measurements on the specimens yielded an A/sub z/ value of 0.72/spl plusmn/0.11. These results indicate that the texture analysis of trabecular bone pattern on radiographs, merged with the use of an ANN, may be a useful method to noninvasively assess bone strength.

We investigated the effects of early compared with late (ie, in flexion) rollback on quadriceps efficiency during stair stepping. We studied 10 patients with the IB II (Zimmer, Warsaw, IN) total knee arthroplasty (TKA), designed to enforce rollback at 73 degrees of knee flexion; 9 patients with the Maxim PS (Biomet, Inc, Warsaw, IN) TKA, designed to enforce rollback between 20 degrees and 30 degrees of flexion; 8 patients with the TRAC PS (Biomet, Inc, Warsaw, IN) mobile bearing TKA, designed to enforce rollback at 8 degrees of flexion; and 21 healthy control subjects during stair stepping. We measured the external knee flexion moments, which must be largely balanced by quadriceps force acting over the quadriceps lever arm, as indicators of quadriceps efficiency. The peak external knee flexion moment generated by the IB II patients during stair stepping was 12.4% and occurred at 65 degrees of knee flexion. This moment was significantly less (P=.006) than the peak moment, 17.6%, generated by the healthy controls. Knee flexion for the IB II patients did not reach 73 degrees, and rollback was not enforced until after the peak moment (ie, maximum demands on the quadriceps) had been attained. The peak moments generated by the TRAC PS patients, 14.2%, and Maxim patients, 14.8%, were not significantly different from that of the controls. These results suggest that early as compared with late rollback returns more normal quadriceps efficiency during stair stepping.

All radiographic calculations of acetabular wear assume concentric reduction of the prosthetic articulation. To date, no studies have shown that the femoral head is fully reduced on standard radiographs, and we have seen cases on early postoperative radiographs in which this assumption is not met. Using our computerized radiographic technique, 78 paired anteroposterior pelvic radiographs in 46 patients at a mean of 14 months after surgery (range, 1-92 months) were evaluated with and without joint loading. Displacement with loading was analyzed against time since surgery, a surrogate for acetabular wear. Regression analysis found a statistically significant increase in femoral head displacement after loading with longer duration of follow-up, but the rate of this increase was small (0.027 mm/y). This difference affects calculated wear values by

We are developing computerized methods for characterizing the bone texture pattern from digitized skeletal radiographs. For this method to be useful clinically, it must be able to distinguish between weak and strong bone under the range of exposure conditions potentially encountered in the clinical setting. In this study, we examined the effect of exposure conditions on Fourier-based texture features. Thirty-four femoral specimens from total hip arthroplasties were radiographed multiple times under different exposure conditions. The specimens underwent mechanical strength testing from which load to failure values were obtained. The performance of the texture features were investigated in the task of distinguishing between strong and weak bone as characterized by the load to failure values. The texture features showed no dependence upon focal spot size of the x-ray tube or magnification. The texture features did show a dependence with relative exposure, peak kilovoltage, and amount of scattering material.