Long-Term Follow-Up of Management of the Hypoplastic Femur With Femoral Episiotomy and Onlay Allograft During Total Hip Arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND

To insert the regular-sized stem for a dysplastic femoral canal, controlled episiotomy of the femur can be performed. The purpose of this study is to determine the long-term (up to 19 years) results of total hip arthroplasties (THAs) using strut allografts combined with an episiotomy over an extensively porous-coated stem.

METHODS

We reviewed the results of 65 total hip arthroplasties in 63 patients (mean age 42.1 years; range 21-61) with dysplastic femur after childhood sepsis. The patients were treated using controlled episiotomy of the femur to widen the femoral canal, extensively porous-coated femoral stems, and cortical strut allografts because primary axial or rotational stability could not be achieved without grafting. The mean follow-up was 17.1 years (range 15-19).

RESULTS

The mean Harris Hip Score at the final follow-up was 85 ± 15 points (range 45-100). The mean Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index score was 23 ± 15 points (range 13-53). The mean University of California, Los Angeles score was 6.3 points (range 5-8). A Kaplan-Meier survivorship analysis at 19 years of follow-up showed that the survival rate of the femoral components was 92% (95% confidence interval 89-98), and it was 88% (95% confidence interval 85-92) for the acetabular component with aseptic loosening or revision for any reason.

CONCLUSION

We found good results in terms of longevity and functional outcome using this technique. Future mechanical studies, in addition to controlled clinical studies, are warranted.