Spongy metal Lübeck hip prostheses for osteoarthritis secondary to hip dysplasia. A 2-6-year follow-up study.

Between May 1987 and December 1990, 66 hips in 59 patients with osteoarthritis secondary to hip dysplasia underwent cementless total hip arthroplasty with a spongy metal Lübeck hip prosthesis (S+G Implants, Lübeck, Germany) that had a fully porous-surfaced short stem made of cased cobalt-chrome-molybdenum alloy. Sixty-five hips in 58 patients were prospectively followed for 2-6 years (mean, 43 months). Patient age at operation ranged from 29 to 63 years (mean, 51 years). The Merle d'Aubigné hip score improved from 7.8 before surgery to 16.9 at the final follow-up evaluation. All hips were rated as either excellent (63%) or good (37%). Mild thigh pain was recognized in only three hips (5%) at 6 months after surgery, but it disappeared within 2 years. Serial roentgenograms showed stable fixation with bone ingrowth in all hips, that is, bone densification in contact with the implant and trabecular connection to the endosteal surface. The authors found no migration of the implant or circumferential radiolucency. Moderate osteopenia, presumably due to stress shielding, was seen in only four hips (6%). Acetabular bone-grafting performed in 31 hips gave successful support to the socket. Cancellous bone chips grafted to small defects showed excellent remodeling. The authors conclude that the spongy metal Lübeck hip prosthesis contributed to lower rates of thigh pain and migration than cementless prostheses.