Jason P. Olejniczak

Charnley total hip arthroplasty with cement : Minimum twenty-five-year follow-up

Background: This report presents the results of the senior authors initial twenty-five-year experience with the use of Charnley total hip arthroplasty with cement. The purpose of this paper was to evaluate the long-term results of total hip arthroplasty. Methods: Between July 1970 and April 1972, the senior author (R. C. J.) performed 330 Charnley total hip replacements with cement using a hand-packing cement technique in 262 patients. Fifty-one patients (sixty-two hips) who were alive at least twenty-five years postoperatively were evaluated from a clinical standpoint with use of a standard-terminology questionnaire. The average age of this group at the time of surgery was fifty-six years (range, thirty-five to seventy-one years) compared with sixty-five years (range, twenty-one to eighty-nine years) for the entire group. All patients were evaluated for radiographic changes at the time of their most recent follow-up. Of the fifty-one patients (sixty-two hips) who were alive at least twenty-five years postoperatively, thirty-one (thirty-six hips) had a follow-up radiograph made at a minimum of twenty-five years after the surgery. The average duration of radiographic follow-up for the fifty-one patients was 22.7 years (range, two to twenty-seven years). Results: Of the sixty-two hips in the fifty-one patients who were alive at least twenty-five years postoperatively, fourteen (23 percent) had been revised. Three (5 percent) had the revision because of loosening with infection; eleven (18 percent), because of aseptic loosening; and none, because of dislocation. The prevalence of revision due to aseptic loosening of the acetabular component in all 316 hips (excluding those that were lost to follow-up or that were revised for infection or dislocation) was 6 percent (eighteen hips), whereas the prevalence in the fifty-nine hips (excluding the three revised for infection) in the patients who were alive at least twenty-five years after the arthroplasty was 15 percent (nine hips). The prevalence of revision because of aseptic loosening of the femoral component in all 316 hips was 3 percent (nine hips), and the prevalence in the fifty-nine hips in the living patients was 7 percent (four hips). In the group of living patients, osteolysis occurred in Gruen zone 1 or 7 in thirty-three hips and in Gruen zones 2 through 6 in two hips. Ballooning acetabular osteolysis occurred in five hips. Of the 327 hips for which the outcome was known after a minimum of twenty-five years, 295 (90 percent) had retained the original implants until the patient died or until the most recent follow-up examination. Of the sixty-two hips in patients who lived for at least twenty-five years after the surgery, forty-eight (77 percent) had retained the original prosthesis. Conclusions: Our follow-up study at twenty-five years following Charnley total hip arthroplasty with cement demonstrates the durability of the results of the procedure. These results should provide a means for comparison with the results of newer cementing techniques as well as those associated with newer cemented and cementless hip designs.

Charnley Total Hip Arthroplasty in Patients Less Than Fifty Years Old. A Twenty to Twenty-five-Year Follow-up Note*

We evaluated the results twenty to twenty-five years after ninety-three consecutive, non-selected Charnley total hip arthroplasties performed with cement by the senior one of us in sixty-nine patients who were less than fifty years old at the time of the procedure. Seventy of the seventy-two hips in the living patients were followed radiographically for at least twenty years. Twenty-seven hips (29 per cent) had a revision or a resection of the prosthesis during the follow-up period. The revision or the resection was performed because of aseptic loosening in twenty-one hips (23 per cent), infection in four (4 per cent), dislocation in one (1 per cent), and fracture of the femur in one. Eighteen acetabular components (19 per cent) and five femoral components (5 per cent) were revised because of aseptic loosening, and an additional fourteen acetabular components (15 per cent) and seven femoral components (8 per cent) demonstrated definite or probable radiographic loosening. The present study demonstrates the long-term durability of total hip arthroplasty performed with cement in an active population of patients. The fixation of the femoral component was found to perform better than that of the acetabular component at twenty to twenty-five years after the procedure.

Charnley total hip arthroplasty with use of improved techniques of cementing. The results after a minimum of fifteen years of follow-up.

Three hundred and fifty-seven consecutive Charnley total hip arthroplasties were performed in 320 patients with use of a so-called second-generation technique of cementing between July 1976 and June 1978. This technique includes use of a distal femoral intramedullary cement plug, hand-mixing of the cement, and use of a cement gun to deliver the cement into the femoral canal in a retrograde fashion. At the time of the latest follow-up evaluation, a minimum of fifteen years after the arthroplasty, 130 patients (142 hips) were still alive, 189 patients (214 hips) had died, and one patient (one hip) had been lost to follow-up. A radiograph was made for 116 (82 per cent) of the 142 hips in the 130 surviving patients. Of the 356 hips that had not been lost to follow-up, thirty-three (9 per cent) had had a revision and two (1 per cent), a Girdlestone resection arthroplasty during the follow-up period. Nineteen hips (5 per cent) were revised because of aseptic loosening of the femoral or acetabular component, or both (two hips); seven (2 per cent), because of loosening with infection; and seven (2 per cent), because of dislocation. The two resection arthroplasties were performed because of loosening with infection; both were done in patients who died before the time of the latest follow-up evaluation. Of the 142 hips in the 130 patients who were alive at a minimum of fifteen years, twenty-two (15 per cent) had been revised: fifteen (11 per cent), because of aseptic loosening; three (2 per cent), because of loosening with infection; and four (3 per cent), because of dislocation. Revision of the femoral component because of aseptic loosening (excluding components that were revised because of dislocation or infection) was performed in four (1 per cent) of the entire series of 356 hips and in three (2 per cent) of the 142 hips in the 130 patients who survived for at least fifteen years. Two of the 356 hips and two of the 142 hips had aseptic loosening of the acetabular as well as the femoral component at the time of the revision. Loosening of the femoral component, defined as aseptic loosening leading to revision or as definite or probable radiographic loosening, occurred in ten (3 per cent) of the 356 hips and in six (5 per cent) of the 116 hips for which radiographs were made at a minimum of fifteen years. The acetabular component was revised because of aseptic loosening in seventeen (5 per cent) of the entire series of 356 hips and in fourteen (10 per cent) of the 142 hips in the 130 patients who survived for at least fifteen years. The acetabular component loosened without infection in forty-one (12 per cent) of the 356 hips and in twenty-six (22 per cent) of the 116 hips for which radiographs were made at a minimum of fifteen years. In two of these patients, the femoral component was also revised. Thus, of the entire series of 356 hips, two had a revision of the femoral component alone because of aseptic loosening; fifteen, a revision of the acetabular component alone; and two, a revision of both components. Of the 142 hips in the 130 patients who survived for at least fifteen years, one was revised for loosening of the femoral component alone; twelve, for loosening of the acetabular component alone; and two, for loosening of both components. These findings demonstrate long-term durability of fixation of the femoral component but less reliable fixation of the acetabular component, even when the surgeon is experienced and improved techniques of cementing are used.

Total hip arthroplasty with cement in patients who have rheumatoid arthritis. A minimum ten-year follow-up study.

One hundred and six consecutive total hip arthroplasties with cement were performed by one surgeon, at least ten years before the time of the present clinical and radiographic review, in seventy-five patients who had adult-onset rheumatoid arthritis. Two patients (three hips) were lost to follow-up. Seven (7 per cent) of the remaining 103 hips were revised. The revisions were performed because of infection (three hips), dislocation (two hips), or aseptic loosening (two hips). Of the ninety-eight hips that were not lost to follow-up or revised because of infection or dislocation, eight (8 per cent) had radiographic loosening of the acetabular component and two (2 per cent) had radiographic loosening of the femoral component. Although the prevalence of radiographic loosening of the acetabular component was four times greater than the prevalence of radiographic loosening of the femoral component, the prevalence of revision because of aseptic loosening of the acetabular component was identical to that for the femoral component (one component each). These results compared favorably with those of total hip arthroplasty with cement, performed by the same surgeon, for the treatment of other diagnoses. Loosening of the acetabular component was significantly associated with a younger age at the time of the index operation (p = 0.03) and with acetabular osteolysis (p = 0.0006). Of forty-eight hips in thirty-two patients who survived for at least ten years, 96 per cent (forty-six hips) were considered by the patients to have a satisfactory result. At the time of the latest follow-up, twenty-four (75 per cent) of the patients had no pain in the hip. Although eighteen patients (56 per cent) could walk without support at a minimum of ten years after the operation, we found that the functional results for patients who had rheumatoid arthritis were inferior to those observed for patients who had had a total hip arthroplasty with cement, performed by the same surgeon, for the treatment of other diagnoses.

The Effects of Surface Roughness and Polymethylmethacrylate Precoating on the Radiographic and Clinical Results of the Iowa Hip Prosthesis. A Study of Patients Less Than Fifty Years Old

BACKGROUND The purpose of the present study was to compare the results associated with two different surface finishes (bead-blasted and grit-blasted) for Iowa femoral components used in total hip arthroplasties performed between January 1979 and June 1991 in patients who were less than fifty years old. METHODS Between January 1979 and December 1985, thirty-six primary total hip replacements were performed in twenty-five patients with insertion of a bead-blasted Iowa femoral component (average surface roughness, 0.8 micrometer) with cement and insertion of a titanium-backed acetabular component (thirty-five hips) or non-metal-backed acetabular component (one hip) with cement. Between January 1986 and June 1991, forty-five primary total hip replacements were performed in thirty-seven patients with use of a precoated grit-blasted Iowa femoral component (average surface roughness, 2.1 micrometers) and a Harris-Galante-I porous ingrowth acetabular component (forty-one hips) or an Osteonics component (four hips). The only change in the design of the femoral component (other than the surface finish) between the two consecutive series was the addition of polymethylmethacrylate precoating to the proximal third of all forty-five grit-blasted stems and modularity of the femoral head of the last eight grit-blasted stems. RESULTS No hip was lost to follow-up. The duration of radiographic follow-up of the hips treated with the bead-blasted component averaged 11.3 years (range, ten to sixteen years) postoperatively, whereas that of the hips treated with the precoated grit-blasted component averaged 8.2 years (range, five to eleven years). Two (6 percent) of the bead-blasted femoral components were revised because of aseptic loosening compared with eight (18 percent) of the precoated grit-blasted components. Four bead-blasted components (11 percent) were either radiographically loose or were revised because of loosening compared with eleven precoated grit-blasted components (24 percent). Kaplan-Meier survivorship curves evaluated with log-rank analysis revealed that the bead-blasted Iowa femoral components were revised because of aseptic loosening (p = 0.0184) and were radiographically loose (p = 0.0068) less often than the precoated grit-blasted Iowa femoral components. CONCLUSIONS The findings of the present study have led the senior ones of us to resume using femoral components with a polished surface and fixed with cement.

Hybrid total hip arthroplasty in patients under the age of fifty: A five- to ten-year follow-up

In 37 patients, 45 total hip replacements were performed using contemporary cementing techniques, an uncemented Harris-Galante I acetabular component and a cemented precoated Iowa femoral component in patients under the age of 50 at the time of their surgery; 36 patients with 43 hybrid hips were living, 1 patient with 2 hybrid hips was decreased. No patients were lost to follow-up. At 5- to 10-year follow-up, eight hips were revised for aseptic loosening. No acetabular components, and eight femoral components (18%) were revised for aseptic loosening. When looking at radiographic results, including revision as well as those components that were probably or definitely loose on radiographs, 0 acetabular components and 11 femoral components (24%) were radiographically loose. These results demonstrate the excellent durability of the uncemented Harris-Galante acetabular component in the younger patient. However, the Iowa grit-blasted methyl methacrylate precoated femoral component had a magnitude increase in the prevalence of revision for aseptic femoral loosening when compared to the senior authors long-term Charnley results in this age group. The authors attribute the failure to the rough surface finish applied to the femoral component. However, the polymethyl methacrylate proximal precoating and the femoral component design may also contribute to the femoral failures.

Charnley total hip arthroplasty with use of improved cementing techniques: a minimum twenty-year follow-up study.

Background: In total hip arthroplasty, techniques for cementing the femoral component have changed over time. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether a cementing technique that includes use of a distal cement plug and retrograde filling of the femoral canal affects the fixation of the femoral component at a minimum of twenty years after the operation. Methods: Between 1976 and 1978, the senior one of us (R.C.J.) performed 357 total hip arthroplasties with use of a Charnley flatback polished femoral stem and a contemporary cementing technique (insertion of a distal cement plug and retrograde filling of the femoral canal with cement) in 320 patients. The results after a minimum follow-up of twenty years were compared with those after 330 total hip arthroplasties performed, between 1970 and 1972, with the same femoral stem by the same surgeon with use of a hand-packing technique of cementing in 262 patients. The clinical and radiographic evaluation as well as the duration of follow-up were identical in the two groups. Results: In the group managed with the contemporary cementing technique, six (1.8%) of the 336 hips that had not been lost to follow-up or revised because of infection or dislocation were revised because of aseptic loosening of the femoral component. Of the ninety-one hips in the eighty-two patients who were alive at a minimum of twenty years, five (5%) had a revision because of aseptic loosening of the femoral component. Only one hip was revised during the fifteen-to-twenty-year follow-up interval. (The revision was performed because of a fracture of the femoral component.) The rate of failure when radiographic signs of loosening were included was 4.8% (sixteen of 336 femoral components that had not been revised because of infection or dislocation) for the group managed with the contemporary cementing technique compared with 6.3% (twenty of 319 hips) in the group managed with the hand-packing technique; the difference was not significant (p = 0.40). Adequate filling of the femoral canal with cement was found to be associated with improved survival of the femoral component (p = 0.03). Conclusions: While no significant difference between the two cementing techniques could be identified, the ability to deliver adequate cement around the femoral component was more predictable with the contemporary cementing technique. In addition, the prevalence of loosening of the femoral component was low with use of either technique, a tribute to the Charnley flatback polished femoral component design.

Contribution of cable debris generation to accelerated polyethylene wear

The decision of the senior author of a large total hip replacement practice to switch from wire to braided cable for reattachment of the greater trochanter provided the opportunity to evaluate the long term effects (on acetabular component wear, osteolysis, and component loosening) caused by the introduction of metallic debris (generated by cable fretting and breakage) into the total hip arthroplasty construct. Seven hundred and nine consecutive primary total hip arthroplasties were performed during a 5-year period and followed up for a minimum of 10 years. Wire and cable reattachment of the greater trochanter was used sequentially. At minimum 10-year followup the cable group had significantly more wear, osteolysis, and acetabular radiographic evidence of loosening. Those involved in the design and use of total hip arthroplasty devices must minimize potential sources of metallic debris and other potential sources for third body wear in the total hip arthroplasty construct to help ensure longevity of the arthroplasty.