Aims. Accurate placement of the acetabular component during total hip arthroplasty (THA) is an important factor in the success of the procedure. However, the reported accuracy varies greatly and is dependent upon whether free hand or navigated techniques are used. The aim of this study was to assess the accuracy of an instrument system that incorporates 3D printed, patient-specific guides designed to optimise the placement of the acetabular component. Patients and Methods. A total of 100 consecutive patients were prospectively enrolled and the accuracy of placement of the acetabular component was measured using post-operative CT scans. Results. The mean absolute deviation from the planned inclination and anteversion was 3.9° (0.0° to 13.6°) and 3.6° (0.0° to 12.9°), respectively. In 91% of cases the planned target of +/-10° was achieved for both inclination and anteversion. Conclusion. Accurate placement of the acetabular component can be achieved using patient-specific guides and is superior to free hand techniques and comparable to navigated and robotic techniques. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2016;98-B:1342–6

Objectives. The accuracy and precision of two new methods of model-based radiostereometric analysis (RSA) were hypothesised to be superior to a plain radiograph method in the assessment of polyethylene (PE) wear. Methods. A phantom device was constructed to simulate three-dimensional (3D) PE wear. Images were obtained consecutively for each simulated wear position for each modality. Three commercially available packages were evaluated: model-based RSA using laser-scanned cup models (MB-RSA), model-based RSA using computer-generated elementary geometrical shape models (EGS-RSA), and PolyWare. Precision (95% repeatability limits) and accuracy (Root Mean Square Errors) for two-dimensional (2D) and 3D wear measurements were assessed. Results. The precision for 2D wear measures was 0.078 mm, 0.102 mm, and 0.076 mm for EGS-RSA, MB-RSA, and PolyWare, respectively. For the 3D wear measures the precision was 0.185 mm, 0.189 mm, and 0.244 mm for EGS-RSA, MB-RSA, and PolyWare respectively. Repeatability was similar for all methods within the same dimension, when compared between 2D and 3D (all p > 0.28). For the 2D RSA methods, accuracy was below 0.055 mm and at least 0.335 mm for PolyWare. For 3D measurements, accuracy was 0.1 mm, 0.2 mm, and 0.3 mm for EGS-RSA, MB-RSA and PolyWare respectively. PolyWare was less accurate compared with RSA methods (p = 0.036). No difference was observed between the RSA methods (p = 0.10). Conclusions. For all methods, precision and accuracy were better in 2D, with RSA methods being superior in accuracy. Although less accurate and precise, 3D RSA defines the clinically relevant wear pattern (multidirectional). PolyWare is a good and low-cost alternative to RSA, despite being less accurate and requiring a larger sample size

Aims. Custom triflange acetabular components (CTACs) play an important role in reconstructive orthopaedic surgery, particularly in revision total hip arthroplasty (rTHA) and pelvic tumour resection procedures. Accurate CTAC positioning is essential to successful surgical outcomes. While prior studies have explored CTAC positioning in rTHA, research focusing on tumour cases and implant flange positioning precision remains limited. Additionally, the impact of intraoperative navigation on positioning accuracy warrants further investigation. This study assesses CTAC positioning accuracy in tumour resection and rTHA cases, focusing on the differences between preoperative planning and postoperative implant positions. Methods. A multicentre observational cohort study in Australia between February 2017 and March 2021 included consecutive patients undergoing acetabular reconstruction with CTACs in rTHA (Paprosky 3A/3B defects) or tumour resection (including Enneking P2 peri-acetabular area). Of 103 eligible patients (104 hips), 34 patients (35 hips) were analyzed. Results. CTAC positioning was generally accurate, with minor deviations in cup inclination (mean 2.7°; SD 2.84°), anteversion (mean 3.6°; SD 5.04°), and rotation (mean 2.1°; SD 2.47°). Deviation of the hip centre of rotation (COR) showed a mean vector length of 5.9 mm (SD 7.24). Flange positions showed small deviations, with the ischial flange exhibiting the largest deviation (mean vector length of 7.0 mm; SD 8.65). Overall, 83% of the implants were accurately positioned, with 17% exceeding malpositioning thresholds. CTACs used in tumour resections exhibited higher positioning accuracy than rTHA cases, with significant differences in inclination (1.5° for tumour vs 3.4° for rTHA) and rotation (1.3° for tumour vs 2.4° for rTHA). The use of intraoperative navigation appeared to enhance positioning accuracy, but this did not reach statistical significance. Conclusion. This study demonstrates favourable CTAC positioning accuracy, with potential for improved accuracy through intraoperative navigation. Further research is needed to understand the implications of positioning accuracy on implant performance and long-term survival. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2024;5(4):260–268

Aims. Navigation devices are designed to improve a surgeon’s accuracy in positioning the acetabular and femoral components in total hip arthroplasty (THA). The purpose of this study was to both evaluate the accuracy of an optical computer-assisted surgery (CAS) navigation system and determine whether preoperative spinopelvic mobility (categorized as hypermobile, normal, or stiff) increased the risk of acetabular component placement error. Methods. A total of 356 patients undergoing primary THA were prospectively enrolled from November 2016 to March 2018. Clinically relevant error using the CAS system was defined as a difference of > 5° between CAS and 3D radiological reconstruction measurements for acetabular component inclination and anteversion. Univariate and multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine whether hypermobile (. Δ. sacral slope(SS). stand-sit. > 30°), or stiff (. ∆. SS. stand-sit. < 10°) spinopelvic mobility contributed to increased error rates. Results. The paired absolute difference between CAS and postoperative imaging measurements was 2.3° (standard deviation (SD) 2.6°) for inclination and 3.1° (SD 4.2°) for anteversion. Using a target zone of 40° (± 10°) (inclination) and 20° (± 10°) (anteversion), postoperative standing radiographs measured 96% of acetabular components within the target zone for both inclination and anteversion. Multiple logistic regression analysis controlling for BMI and sex revealed that hypermobile spinopelvic mobility significantly increased error rates for anteversion (odds ratio (OR) 2.48, p = 0.009) and inclination (OR 2.44, p = 0.016), whereas stiff spinopelvic mobility increased error rates for anteversion (OR 1.97, p = 0.028). There were no dislocations at a minimum three-year follow-up. Conclusion. Despite high reliability in acetabular positioning for inclination in a large patient cohort using an optical CAS system, hypermobile and stiff spinopelvic mobility significantly increased the risk of clinically relevant errors. In patients with abnormal spinopelvic mobility, CAS systems should be adjusted for use to avoid acetabular component misalignment and subsequent risk for long-term dislocation. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2022;3(6):475–484

Rotational acetabular osteotomy (RAO), one of periacetabular osteotomies, is an effective joint-preserving surgical treatment for developmental dysplasia of the hip. Since 2013, we have been using a CT-based navigation for RAO to perform safe and accurate osteotomy. CT-based navigation allows precise osteotomy during surgery but cannot track the bony fragment after osteotomy. Thus, it is an issue to achieve successful reorientation in accordance with preoperative planning. In this presentation, we introduce a new method to achieve reorientation and evaluate its accuracy. Thirty joints in which CT-based navigated RAO was performed were included in this study. For the first 20 joints, reorientation was confirmed by tracing the lateral aspect of rotated fragment with navigation and checked if it matched with the preoperative planning. For the latter 10 joints, a new method was adopted. Four fiducial points were made on lateral side of the acetabulum in the preoperative 3-dimensional model and intraoperatively, rotation of the osteotomized bone was performed so that the 4 fiducial points match the preoperative plan. To assess the accuracy of position of rotated fragment in each group, preoperative planning and postoperative CT were compared. A total of 24 radial reformat images of postoperative CT were obtained at a half-hour interval following the clockface system around the acetabulum. In every radial image, femoral head coverage of actual postop- and planned were measured to evaluate the accuracy of acetabular fragment repositioning. The 4-fiducial method significantly reduced the reorientation error. Especially in the 12:00 to 1:00 position of the acetabulum, there were significantly fewer errors (p<0.01) and fewer cases with under-correction of the lateral acetabular coverage. With the new method with 4 reference fiducials, reorientation of the acetabulum could be obtained as planned with lesser errors

The purposes of this study were to report the accuracy of stem anteversion for Exeter cemented stems with the Mako hip enhanced mode and to compare it to Accolade cementless stems. We reviewed the data of 25 hips in 20 patients who underwent THA through the posterior approach with Exeter stems and 25 hips in 19 patients with Accolade stems were matched for age, gender, height, weight, disease, and approaches. There was no difference in the target stem anteversion (20°–30°) between the groups. Two weeks after surgery, CT images were taken to measure stem anteversion. The difference in stem anteversion between the plan and the postoperative CT measurements was 1.2° ± 3.8° (SD) on average with cemented stems and 4.2° ± 4.2° with cementless stems, respectively (P <0.05). The difference in stem anteversion between the intraoperative measurements and the postoperative CT measurements was 0.75° ± 1.8° with Exeter stems and 2.2° ± 2.3° with Accolade stems, respectively (P <0.05). This study demonstrated a high precision of anteversion for Exeter cemented stems with the Mako enhanced mode and its clinical accuracy was better with the cemented stems than that with the cementless stems. Although intraoperative stem anteversion measurements with the Mako system were more accurate with the cemented stems than that with the cementless stem, the difference was about 1° and the accuracy of intra-operative anteversion measurements was quite high even with the cementless stems. The smaller difference in stem anteversion between the plan and postoperative measurements with the cemented stems suggested that stem anteversion control was easier with cemented stems under the Mako enhanced mode than that with cementless stems. Intraoperative stem anteversion measurement with Mako total hip enhanced mode was accurate and it was useful in controlling cemented stem anteversion to the target angle

When treating periprosthetic femur fractures (PPFFs) around total hip arthroplasty (THA)], determining implant fixation status preoperatively is important, since this guides treatment regarding ORIF versus revision. The purpose of this study was to determine the accuracy of preoperative implant fixation status determination utilizing plain films and CT scans. Twenty-four patients who underwent surgery for Vancouver B type PPFF were included in the study. Two joint surgeons and two traumatologists reviewed plain films alone and made a judgment on fixation status. They then reviewed CT scans and fixation status was reassessed. Concordance and discordance were recorded. Interobserver reliability was assessed using Kendall's W and intraobserver reliability was assessed using Cohen's Kappa. Ultimately, the “correct” response was determined by intraoperative findings, as we routinely test the component intraoperatively. Fifteen implants were found to be well-fixed (63%) and 9 were loose. Plain radiographs alone predicted correct fixation status in 53% of cases. When adding the CT data, the correct prediction only improved to 55%. Interestingly, concordance between plain radiographs and CT was noted in 82%. In concordant cases, the fixation status was found to be correct in 55% of cases. Of the 18% of cases with discordance, plain films were correct in 43% of cases, and the CT was correct in 57%. Interobserver reliability demonstrated poor agreement on plain films and moderate agreement on CT. Intraobserver reliability demonstrated moderate agreement on both plain films and CT. The ability to determine fixation status for proximal PPFFs around uncemented femoral components remains challenging. The addition of routine CT scanning did not significantly improve accuracy. We recommend careful intraoperative testing of femoral component fixation with surgical dislocation if necessary, and the surgeon should be prepared to revise or fix the fracture based on those findings

The purposes of this study were to evaluate the accuracy and feasibility of a robotic preparation for acetabular metal augments in patients with developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH). Mako robotic arm reaming was used in 7 DDH to prepare the bony cavities for both Trident PSL cups and Tritanium acetabular wedge augments in six hips with Crowe 2 or 3 DDH. In CT-based planning, a properly sized cup was placed in the original acetabulum, and the same sized cup was also placed to fit the superolateral acetabular defect. The coordinates of the planned positions of cup and augment were recorded to manage the robotic arm reaming. After registration of the patient's pelvis, robotic reaming was performed first for the augment, then, for the cup by changing the target position of reaming as planned. The accuracy of the cup and augment placement was assessed on postoperative CT. To evaluate the feasibility of the robotic procedure, the OR time and blood loss were compared with those of 13 patients who received the same cup and augment systems with a conventional technique. All procedures were done without fracture or fixation failure. There were no differences in OR time or blood loss between the two procedures. Postoperative CT measurements of the distance between the cup center and the augment sphere center showed less than 2mm difference from the Mako preoperative planning. Although a longer time of follow up evaluation is mandatory, our robotic acetabular augment preparation technique is accurate and feasible

Aims. Hip arthroplasty aims to accurately recreate joint biomechanics. Considerable attention has been paid to vertical and horizontal offset, but femoral head centre in the anteroposterior (AP) plane has received little attention. This study investigates the accuracy of restoration of joint centre of rotation in the AP plane. Methods. Postoperative CT scans of 40 patients who underwent unilateral uncemented total hip arthroplasty were analyzed. Anteroposterior offset (APO) and femoral anteversion were measured on both the operated and non-operated sides. Sagittal tilt of the femoral stem was also measured. APO measured on axial slices was defined as the perpendicular distance between a line drawn from the anterior most point of the proximal femur (anterior reference line) to the centre of the femoral head. The anterior reference line was made parallel to the posterior condylar axis of the knee to correct for rotation. Results. Overall, 26/40 hips had a centre of rotation displaced posteriorly compared to the contralateral hip, increasing to 33/40 once corrected for sagittal tilt, with a mean posterior displacement of 7 mm. Linear regression analysis indicated that stem anteversion needed to be increased by 10.8° to recreate the head centre in the AP plane. Merely matching the native version would result in a 12 mm posterior displacement. Conclusion. This study demonstrates the significant incidence of posterior displacement of the head centre in uncemented hip arthroplasty. Effects of such displacement include a reduction in impingement free range of motion, potential alterations in muscle force vectors and lever arms, and impaired proprioception due to muscle fibre reorientation. Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2022;11(3):180–188

Accurate cup placement in total hip arthroplasty (THA) for the patients with developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) is one of the challenges due to distinctive bone deformity. Robotic-arm assisted system have been developed to improve the accuracy of implant placement. This study aimed to compare the accuracy of robotic-arm assisted (Robo-THA), CT-based navigated (Navi-THA), and manual (M-THA) cup position and orientation in THA for DDH. A total of 285 patients (335 hips) including 202 M-THAs, 45 Navi-THAs, and 88 Robo-THA were analyzed. The choice of procedure followed the patient's preferences. Horizontal and vertical center of rotation (HCOR and VCOR) were measured for cup position, and radiographic inclination (RI) and anteversion (RA) were measured for cup orientation. The propensity score-matching was performed among three groups to compare the absolute error from the preoperative target position and angle. Navi-THA showed significantly smaller absolute errors than M-THA in RI (3.6° and 5.4°) and RA (3.8° and 6.0°), however, there were no significant differences between them in HCOR (2.5 mm and 3.0 mm) or VCOR (2.2 mm and 2.6 mm). In contrast, Robo-THA showed significantly smaller absolute errors of cup position than both M-THA and Navi-THA (HCOR: 1.7 mm and 2.9 mm, vs. M-THA, 1.6 mm and 2.5 mm vs. Navi-THA, VCOR:1.7 mm and 2.4 mm, vs. M-THA, 1.4 mm and 2.2 mm vs. Navi-THA). Robo-THA also showed significantly smaller absolute errors of cup orientation than both M-THA and Navi-THA (RI: 1.4° and 5.7°, vs. M-THA, 1.5° and 3.6°, vs. Navi-THA, RA: 1.9° and 5.8° vs. M-THA, 2.1° and 3.8° vs. Navi-THA). Robotic-arm assisted system showed more accurate cup position and orientation compared to manual and CT-based navigation in THA for DDH. CT-based navigation increased the accuracy of cup orientation compared to manual procedures, but not cup position

Pre-operative definitive diagnosis of infection in painful total hip arthroplasty (THA) is not always easy to be established, making the intra-operative decision-making process crucial in management of revision hip surgery. Calprotectin is a promising point-of-care novel biomarker that has displayed high accuracy in detecting PJIs. From November 2020 to December 2022, 105 patients with painful primary THA were treated with revision THA in 3 orthopaedic departments. Pre-operatively, 23 were considered infected and treated with two-stage revision THA. The remaining 82 were likely infected according to the 2019 EBJIS criteria. The suspicion of low-grade infection was based on clinical (rest and/or night pain), laboratory (CRP, ESR, WBC – normal or slightly elevated) and radiological evaluation (loosening). Hip aspiration under CT imaging was performed in these cases and 34 of them yielded positive culture and were treated with two-stage revision. Aspiration was ineffective in the remaining 48 cases (33 negative, 15 unsuccessful attempts). Intra-operatively, calprotectin was measured with lateral flow immunoassay test in these patients. Cases with calprotectin levels ≥ 50 mg/L were treated with 2-stage revision THA; otherwise, they were considered not-infected and one-stage revision was performed. Synovial fluid and tissue samples were collected for analysis. Implants were sent for sonication fluid cultures. Calprotectin was positive (≥ 50 mg/L) in 27 cases and negative in 21 cases. There was 1 false negative case with positive tissue cultures. Out of the 27 positive cases, 25 had positive tissue cultures and sonication. However, 2 cases with high calprotectin levels (>200 mg/L) were not infected. The false positive result was attributed to severe metallosis. Calprotectin sensitivity was 96.2%, specificity 90.9%, PPV 92.6%, NPV 95.2%, AUC 0.935. The results of this ongoing study indicate that calprotectin seems to be a valuable tool in facilitating the intra-operative decision-making process in cases that low-grade infection is suspected and diagnosis cannot be established pre-operatively

Introduction. Cross table lateral (CTL) radiographs are commonly used to measure acetabular component anteversion after total hip arthroplasty (THA). CTL measurements may differ by >10 degrees from CT scan measurements, but the reasons for this discrepancy are poorly understood. We compare anteversion measurements made on CTL radiographs and CT scans to identify spinopelvic parameters predictive of inaccuracy. Methods. THA patients (n=47) with preoperative spinopelvic radiographic analysis and postoperative CT scans were retrospectively reviewed. Acetabular component anteversion was measured on post-operative CTL radiographs, and CT scans using 3D reconstructions of the pelvis. Patients were grouped by error (CTL-CT)>10° (n=11) or <10° (n=36), and spinopelvic mobility parameters were compared using t-tests. Correlation between error and mobility parameters was assessed with Pearson coefficient. Results. Patients with CTL error >10° (range 10–14) had stiffer lumbar spines with less lumbar flexion (38° vs 47°, p=0.03), greater sagittal imbalance measured by pelvic incidence-lumbar lordosis mismatch (6° vs −2°, p=0.04), more pelvic extension when seated (pelvic tilt −10° vs −2°, p=0.05), and greater change in pelvic tilt between supine and seated positions (13° vs 4°, p=0.04). The error of CTL measurements showed a positive correlation with increased CTL anteversion (r=0.5, p=0.001), standing lordosis (r=0.23, p=0.05), seated lordosis (r=0.4, p=0.01) and pelvic tilt change between supine and step-up positions (r=0.34, p=0.01). Discussion. Differences in spinopelvic mobility patterns may explain the variable accuracy of acetabular anteversion measurements on CTL radiographs. Patients with stiff spines and increased compensatory pelvic motion have less accurate measurements on CTL radiographs. Flexion of the contralateral hip is required to obtain clear CTL radiographs. In patients with a stiff lumbar spine, this movement may extend the pelvis and increase anteversion of the acetabulum on CTL views. Reliable analysis of acetabular component anteversion in this patient population may require advanced imaging with a CT scan

Pre-operative computerised three-dimensional planning was carried out in 223 patients undergoing total hip replacement with a cementless acetabular component and a cementless modular-neck femoral stem. Components were chosen which best restored leg length and femoral offset. The post-operative restoration of the anatomy was assessed by CT and compared with the pre-operative plan. The component implanted was the same as that planned in 86% of the hips for the acetabular implant, 94% for the stem, and 93% for the neck-shaft angle. The rotational centre of the hip was restored with a mean accuracy of 0.73 mm (. sd. 3.5) craniocaudally and 1.2 mm (. sd. 2) laterally. Limb length was restored with a mean accuracy of 0.3 mm (. sd. 3.3) and femoral offset with a mean accuracy of 0.8 mm (. sd. 3.1). This method appears to offer high accuracy in hip reconstruction as the difficulties likely to be encountered when restoring the anatomy can be anticipated and solved pre-operatively by optimising the selection of implants. Modularity of the femoral neck helped to restore the femoral offset and limb length

Aims. Abnormal femoral torsion (FT) is increasingly recognized as an additional cause for femoroacetabular impingement (FAI). It is unknown if in-toeing of the foot is a specific diagnostic sign for increased FT in patients with symptomatic FAI. The aims of this study were to determine: 1) the prevalence and diagnostic accuracy of in-toeing to detect increased FT; 2) if foot progression angle (FPA) and tibial torsion (TT) are different among patients with abnormal FT; and 3) if FPA correlates with FT. Patients and Methods. A retrospective, institutional review board (IRB)-approved, controlled study of 85 symptomatic patients (148 hips) with FAI or hip dysplasia was performed in the gait laboratory. All patients had a measurement of FT (pelvic CT scan), TT (CT scan), and FPA (optical motion capture system). We allocated all patients to three groups with decreased FT (< 10°, 37 hips), increased FT (> 25°, 61 hips), and normal FT (10° to 25°, 50 hips). Cluster analysis was performed. Results. We found a specificity of 99%, positive predictive value (PPV) of 93%, and sensitivity of 23% for in-toeing (FPA < 0°) to detect increased FT > 25°. Most of the hips with normal or decreased FT had no in-toeing (false-positive rate of 1%). Patients with increased FT had significantly (p < 0.001) more in-toeing than patients with decreased FT. The majority of the patients (77%) with increased FT walk with a normal foot position. The correlation between FPA and FT was significant (r = 0.404, p < 0.001). Five cluster groups were identified. Conclusion. In-toeing has a high specificity and high PPV to detect increased FT, but increased FT can be missed because of the low sensitivity and high false-negative rate. These results can be used for diagnosis of abnormal FT in patients with FAI or hip dysplasia undergoing hip arthroscopy or femoral derotation osteotomy. However, most of the patients with increased FT walk with a normal foot position. This can lead to underestimation or misdiagnosis of abnormal FT. We recommend measuring FT with CT/MRI scans in all patients with FAI. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2019;101-B:1218–1229

Several radiological methods of measuring anteversion of the acetabular component after total hip replacement (THR) have been described. These studies used different definitions and reference planes to compare methods, allowing for misinterpretation of the results. We compared the reliability and accuracy of five current methods using plain radiographs (those of Lewinnek, Widmer, Liaw, Pradhan, and Woo and Morrey) with CT measurements, using the same definition and reference plane. We retrospectively studied the plain radiographs and CT scans in 84 hips of 84 patients who underwent primary THR. Intra- and inter-observer reliability were high for the measurement of inclination and anteversion with all methods on plain radiographs and CT scans. The measurements of inclination on plain radiographs were similar to the measurements using CT (p = 0.043). The mean difference between CT measurements was 0.6° (-5.9° to 6.8°). Measurements using Widmer’s method were the most similar to those using CT (p = 0.088), with a mean difference between CT measurements of -0.9° (-10.4° to 9.1°), whereas the other four methods differed significantly from those using CT (p < 0.001). This study has shown that Widmer’s method is the best for evaluating the anteversion of the acetabular component on plain radiographs. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2014; 96-B:597–603

Introduction. Outcomes following large joint arthroplasty are influenced by the accuracy of implant placement. Patient specific (PS) technology has been used in knee arthroplasty surgery however, its application in total hip arthroplasty remains relatively unexplored. Aims. We investigated whether conventional or PS guides, resulted in a more accurate reconstruction of the pre-operative head centre position. Methods. A pilot study, determined a minimum of 7 samples were required per group to ensure an adequately powered study. However in order to account for potential errors, ten specimens were prepared for both groups by a single surgeon and using a standardised operative technique. Both groups used instruments, available on standard operating sets, however PS guides were only used and available for the PS group. Following surgery, specimens were laser scanned to generate 3- dimensional surface models. These were then compared to models of a pre-operative specimen. The distance between the pre and post- operative femoral head centres (head position error) was then calculated. Results. This study analysed 19 implanted specimens, as one specimen was excluded due to an error in preparation. The median and range head position error was 8mm (3.5–10.3) in the conventional group and 3.9mm (2.2–7.4) in the PS group. This difference was statistically significant (U=8.5, z=−2.983, p=0.003). Discussion. We found that the use of PS guides halved the average head position error and reduced the range of errors. A difference of 4.1mm in head centre position was both statistically and clinically significant. Conclusions. PS technology improves the accuracy of hip arthroplasty surgery in a dry bone model. It would be reasonable for future studies to further assess the use of PS guides in vivo as part of a clinical trial

Robotic assisted surgery aims to reduce surgical errors in implant positioning and better restore native hip biomechanics compared to conventional techniques for total hip arthroplasty (THA). The primary objective of this study was to compare accuracy in restoring the native centre of hip rotation in patients undergoing conventional manual THA versus robotic-arm assisted THA. Secondary objectives were to determine differences between these treatment techniques for THA in achieving the planned combined offset, cup inclination, cup version, and leg-length correction. This prospective cohort study included 50 patients undergoing conventional manual THA and 25 patients receiving robotic-arm assisted THA. All operative procedures were undertaken by a single surgeon using the minimally-invasive posterior approach. Two independent blinded observers recoded all radiological outcomes of interest using plain radiographs. Patients in both treatment groups were well-matched for age, gender, body mass index, laterality of surgery, and ASA scores. Interclass correlation coefficient was 0.92 (95% CI: 0.84 – 0.95) for intra-observer agreement and 0.88 (95% CI: 0.82–0.94) for inter-observer agreement in all study outcomes. Robotic THA was associated with improved accuracy in restoring the native horizontal (p<0.001) and vertical (p<0.001) centres of rotation, and improved preservation of the patient's native combined offset (P<0.001) compared to conventional THA. Robotic THA improved accuracy in positioning of the acetabular cup within the combined safe zones of inclination and anteversion described by Lewinnek et al (p=0.02) and Callanan et al (p=0.01) compared to conventional THA (figures 1–2). There was no difference between the two treatment groups in achieving the planned leg-length correction (p=0.10). Robotic-arm assisted THA was associated with improved accuracy in restoring the native centre of rotation, better preservation of the combined offset, and more precise acetabular cup positioning within the safe zones of inclination and anteversion compared to conventional manual THA. Robotic-arm assisted THA enables improved preservation of native hip biomechanics compared to conventional manual THA. For any figures or tables, please contact authors directly: . fsh@fareshaddad.net

In 20 patients undergoing hybrid total hip arthroplasty, the reproducibility and accuracy of templating using digital radiographs were assessed. Digital images were manipulated using either a ten-pence coin as a marker to scale for magnification, or two digital-line methods using computer software. On-screen images were templated with standard acetate templates and compared with templating performed on hard-copy digital prints. The digital-line methods were the least reliable and accuracy of sizing compared with the inserted prostheses varied between −1.6% and +10.2%. The hard-copy radiographs showed better reproducibility than the ten-pence coin method, but were less accurate with 3.7% undersizing. The ten-pence coin method was the most accurate, with no significant differences for offset or acetabulum, and undersizing of only 0.9%. On-screen templating of digital radiographs with standard acetate templates is accurate and reproducible if a radiopaque marker such as a ten-pence coin is included when the original radiograph is taken

Several methods of measuring the migration of the femoral component after total hip replacement have been described, but they use different reference lines, and have differing accuracies, some unproven. Statistical comparison of different studies is rarely possible. We report a study of the EBRA-FCA method (femoral component analysis using Einzel-Bild-Röntgen-Analyse) to determine its accuracy using three independent assessments, including a direct comparison with the results of roentgen stereophotogrammetric analysis (RSA). The accuracy of EBRA-FCA was better than ±1.5 mm (95% percentile) with a Cronbach’s coefficient alpha for interobserver reliability of 0.84; a very good result. The method had a specificity of 100% and a sensitivity of 78% compared with RSA for the detection of migration of over 1 mm. This is accurate enough to assess the stability of a prosthesis within a relatively limited period. The best reference line for downward migration is between the greater trochanter and the shoulder of the stem, as confirmed by two experimental analyses and a computer-assisted design

Aims

Cross-table lateral (CTL) radiographs are commonly used to measure acetabular component anteversion after total hip arthroplasty (THA). The CTL measurements may differ by > 10° from CT scan measurements but the reasons for this discrepancy are poorly understood. Anteversion measurements from CTL radiographs and CT scans are compared to identify spinopelvic parameters predictive of inaccuracy.