Minimum Five-Year Outcomes with Porous Tantalum Acetabular Cup and Augment Construct in Complex Revision Total Hip Arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND

The use of a trabecular metal revision shell with metal augmentation to fill segmental or irregular defects during complex revision hip arthroplasty has been shown to provide good short-term results in prior published series. Longer-term results of the several cup-augment constructs used clinically are not known. The objective of this study was to report, with minimum 5-year radiographic and clinical follow-up, the outcome of these various constructs in revision total hip arthroplasty.

METHODS

Eighty-four patients (85 hips) underwent revision total hip arthroplasty with use of porous tantalum augments between 2000 and 2007 at a single institution and were retrospectively reviewed. Fifty-seven of the patients (58 hips) had clinical and radiographic follow-up at a minimum of 5 years. At the time of revision, the majority of the hips had acetabular defects classified as Paprosky Type 3A (28 of 58, 48%) or Type 3B (22 of 58, 38%). Eleven (19%) of the hips also had preoperative pelvic discontinuity. All hips were assessed clinically at a minimum of 5 years with use of the Mayo hip score. Postoperative radiographs were reviewed for implant stability, the presence and location of radiolucent lines and healing of the discontinuity if present.

RESULTS

In 2 (3%) of the 58 hips, the constructs failed because of aseptic loosening of the acetabular component and re-revision was indicated. Six (10%) of the 58 hips demonstrated a radiolucent line between the trabecular metal shell and bone in DeLee and Charnley zone 3. In 1 hip that underwent re-revision and in 5 of the 6 hips with a zone-3 radiolucency, a pelvic discontinuity was present at the time of the index revision. The mean preoperative Mayo hip score was 35.7, which improved to 61.9 at 3 months and was 61.7 at the minimum 5-year follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

With failure defined as aseptic loosening requiring repeat revision surgery, this cohort demonstrated 97% survivorship and maintained satisfactory hip function at the minimum 5 years after the index revision surgery. Six of the 11 hips with preoperative pelvic discontinuity either failed or developed a radiolucency in zone 3 and are considered at risk for future revision. Pelvic discontinuity should prompt consideration of the addition of adjunctive fixation or the use of alternative techniques.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.