Analysis of Outcomes of Total Cementless Hip Joint Arthroplasty in the Treatment of Advanced Hip Osteoarthritis Following Childhood Perthes' Disease.

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study is to analyse the outcomes of total cementless hip joint arthroplasty in the treatment of advanced hip osteoarthritis following Perthes' disease in childhood.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The study enrolled 56 patients (15 women and 41 men) who underwent a total of 61 hip joint arthroplasties for coxarthrosis following Perthes' disease. The mean age of the patients at surgery was 46.7 years (range 21-67 years). The mean follow-up period was 13.7 years.

RESULTS

Pre-operative Merle d'Aubigne-Postel scores (modified by Charnley) of the study group were poor in all patients. Mean post-operative improvement was 6.7 points. The outcomes were classified as excellent in 25 cases, good in 16, satisfactory in 16 and poor in 9 cases. Poor results were always related to loosening of the acetabular cup. Heterotopic ossification was noted in 7 cases. According to the Kaplan-Meier estimator, 10 years' survival probability was 85.24% for the whole implant and 100% for the stem.

CONCLUSIONS

1. Total cementless hip joint arthroplasty is an effective method in the treatment of advanced hip osteoarthritis following Perthes' disease in childhood. 2. With good surgical technique and in the absence of complications, the risk of aseptic loosening is minimal. 3. Due to the patients' young age, there may be more cases of loosening over time, requiring regular long-term follow-up.