The Effect of a Degenerative Spine and Adverse Pelvic Mobility on Prosthetic Impingement in Patients Undergoing Total Hip Arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND

Despite the placement of acetabular components in the traditional "safe-zone", dislocations and all parts of the instability spectrum, including impingement, continue to be an issue. Recent research has established the importance of a degenerative spine and adverse pelvic mobility on functional acetabular orientation. The purpose of this study is to quantify the clinical consequences of a degenerative spine and adverse pelvic mobility on prosthetic impingement in patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty.

METHODS

Between January 2018 and December 2019, a series of 1592 patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty had functional lateral radiographs and a computed tomography scan taken. Two spinal parameters and 2 pelvic mobility parameters were investigated for their association with impingement. Each patient was evaluated for anterior and posterior impingement, at all orientations within a traditional supine safe zone and a patient-specific functional safe zone.

RESULTS

Patients with limited lumbar flexion (stiff spine), higher pelvic incidence-lumbar lordosis mismatch (sagittal imbalance), and more anterior pelvic mobility from stand to flexed-seated, exhibit increased anterior impingement. Patients with larger posterior pelvic mobility from supine-to-stand exhibited increased posterior impingement. Impingement was reduced 3-fold when the target cup orientation was tailored to a patient's functional safe zone rather than a generic target. Six percent of patients showed unavoidable impingement even with an optimized functional cup orientation.

CONCLUSION

Our results support growing evidence that patients with a degenerative spine and adverse pelvic mobility are likely to have unfavorable functional cup orientations, resulting in prosthetic impingement. Preoperative functional radiographic screening is recommended to assess the likelihood of a patient experiencing impingement due to their unique spinopelvic mobility.