Aims. Young adults undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA) largely have different indications for surgery, preoperative function, and postoperative goals compared to a standard patient group. The aim of our study was to describe young adult THA preoperative function and quality of life, and to assess postoperative satisfaction and compare this with functional outcome measures. Methods. A retrospective cohort analysis of young adults (aged < 50 years) undergoing THA between May 2018 and May 2023 in a single tertiary centre was undertaken. Median follow-up was 31 months (12 to 61). Oxford Hip Score (OHS) and focus group-designed questionnaires were distributed. Searches identified 244 cases in 225 patients. Those aged aged under 30 years represented 22.7% of the cohort. Developmental dysplasia of the hip (50; 45.5%) and Perthes’ disease (15; 13.6%) were the commonest indications for THA. Results. Preoperatively, of 110 patients, 19 (17.2%) were unable to work before THA, 57 (52%) required opioid analgesia, 51 (46.4%) were reliant upon walking aids, and 70 (63.6%) had sexual activity limited by their pathology. One patient required revision due to instability. Mean OHS was 39 (9 to 48). There was a significant difference between the OHS of cases where THA met expectation, compared with the OHS when it did not (satisfied: 86 (78.2%), OHS: 41.2 (36.1%) vs non-satisfied: 24 (21%), OHS: 31.6; p ≤ 0.001). Only one of the 83 patients (75.5%) who returned to premorbid levels of activity did so after 12 months. Conclusion. Satisfaction rates of THA in young adults is high, albeit lower than commonly quoted figures. Young adults awaiting THA have poor function with high requirements for mobility aids, analgesia, and difficulties in working and undertaking leisure activities. The OHS provided a useful insight into patient function and was predictive of satisfaction rates, although it did not address the specific demands of young adults undertaking THA. Function at one year postoperatively is a good indication of overall outcomes. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2024;5(4):304–311

Aims. Psychological status may be an important predictor of outcome after periacetabular osteotomy (PAO). The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of psychological distress on postoperative health-related quality of life, joint function, self-assessed pain, and sports ability in patients undergoing PAO. Methods. In all, 202 consecutive patients who underwent PAO for developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) at our institution from 2015 to 2017 were included and followed up at 63 months (SD 10) postoperatively. Of these, 101 with complete data sets entered final analysis. Patients were assessed by questionnaire. Psychological status was measured by Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI-18), health-related quality of life was raised with 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36), hip functionality was measured by the short version 0f the International Hip Outcome Tool (iHOT-12), Subjective Hip Value (SHV), and Hip Disability and Outcome Score (HOS). Surgery satisfaction and pain were assessed. Dependent variables (endpoints) were postoperative quality of life (SF-36, HOS quality of life (QoL)), joint function (iHOT-12, SHV, HOS), patient satisfaction, and pain. Psychological distress was assessed by the Global Severity Index (GSI), somatization (BSI Soma), depression (BSI Depr), and anxiety (BSI Anx). Influence of psychological status was assessed by means of univariate and multiple multivariate regression analysis. Results. In multiple multivariate regression, postoperative GSI, BSI Soma, and BSI Depr had a negative effect on postoperative SF-36 (e -2.07, -3.05, and -2.67, respectively; p < 0.001), iHOT-12 (e -1.35 and -4.65, respectively; p < 0.001), SHV (e -1.20 and -2.71, respectively; p < 0.001), HOS QoL (e -2.09 and -4.79, respectively; p < 0.001), HOS Function (e -1.00 and -3.94, respectively; p < 0.001), and HOS Sport (e -1.44 and -5.29, respectively; p < 0.001), and had an effect on postoperative pain (e 0.13 and 0.37, respectively; p < 0.001). Conclusion. Psychological distress, depression, and somatization disorders affect health-related quality of life, perceived joint function, and sports ability. Pain perception is significantly increased by somatization. However, patient satisfaction with surgery is not affected. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2023;4(10):758–765

Aims. The primary aim of our study was to assess the influence of age on hip-specific outcome following total hip arthroplasty (THA). Secondary aims were to assess health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and level of activity according to age. Methods. A prospective cohort study was conducted. All patients were fitted with an Exeter stem with a 32 mm head on highly cross-linked polyethylene (X3RimFit) cemented acetabulum. Patients were recruited into three age groups: < 65 years, 65 to 74 years, and ≥ 75 years, and assessed preoperatively and at three, 12, 24, and 60 months postoperatively. Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), Harris Hip Score (HHS), and Hip disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (HOOS), were used to assess hip-specific outcome. EuroQol five-dimension five-level questionnaire (EQ-5D-5L) and 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36) scores were used to assess HRQoL. The Lower Extremity Activity Scale (LEAS) and Timed Up and Go (TUG) were used to assess level of activity. Results. There were no significant (p > 0.05) differences in the WOMAC scores, HSS, HOOS, or EQ-5D-5L at any postoperative timepoint between the age groups. Patients aged ≥ 75 years had significantly lower physical function (p ≤ 0.010) and physical role (p ≤ 0.047) SF-36 scores at 12, 24, and 60 months, but were equal to that expect of an age-matched population. No differences according to age were observed for the other six domains of the SF-36 (p > 0.060). The ≥ 75 years group had a lower LEAS (p < 0.001) and longer TUG test times (p ≤ 0.032) compared to the < 65 years group, but older age groups had significant (p < 0.001) improvement relative to their preoperative baseline measures. Conclusion. Age did not influence postoperative hip-specific outcome or HRQoL (according to the EQ-5D) following THA. Despite a significant improvement, older patients had lower postoperative activity levels compared to younger patients, but this may be reflective of the overall physical effect of ageing. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2022;3(9):692–700

Aims. Perthes’ disease (PD) is a childhood hip disorder that can affect the quality of life in adulthood due to femoral head deformity and osteoarthritis. There is very little data on how PD patients function as adults, especially from the patients’ perspective. The purpose of this study was to collect treatment history, demographic details, the University of California, Los Angeles activity score (UCLA), the 36-Item Short Form survey (SF-36) score, and the Hip disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome score (HOOS) of adults who had PD using a web-based survey method and to compare their outcomes to the outcomes from an age- and sex-matched normative population. Methods. The English REDCap-based survey was made available on a PD study group website. The survey included childhood and adult PD history, UCLA, SF-36, and HOOS. Of the 1,182 participants who completed the survey, the 921 participants who did not have a total hip arthroplasty are the focus of this study. The mean age at survey was 38 years (SD 12) and the mean duration from age at PD onset to survey participation was 30.8 years (SD 12.6). Results. In comparison to a normative population, the PD participants had significantly lower HOOS scores across all five scales (p < 0.001) for all age groups. Similarly, SF-36 scores of the participants were significantly lower (p < 0.001) for all scales except for age groups > 55 years. Overall, females, obese participants, those who reported no treatment in childhood, and those with age of onset > 11 years had significantly worse SF-36 and HOOS scores. Pairwise correlations showed a strong positive correlation within HOOS scales and between HOOS scales and SF-36 scales, indicating construct validity. Conclusion. Adult PD participants had significantly worse pain, physical, mental, and social health than an age- and sex-matched normative cohort. The study reveals a significant burden of disease on the adult participants of the survey, especially females. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2022;104-B(12):1304–1312

Young adult hip pathology commonly affects patients of reproductive age. The extent to which hip arthroscopy (HA) treatments influence sexual function is not well described and limited to small cohorts. This study aims to describe trends in self-reported reported sexual function before and after HA. Adult (≥18 years) patients who underwent HA between 1. st. January 2012 and 31. st. October 2020 were extracted from the UK Non-Arthroplasty Hip Registry. International Hip Outcome Tool 12 (iHOT-12) questionnaires were collected pre-operatively and at 6 and 12 months. Patients are first asked if ‘questions about sexual activity are relevant to them’. The iHOT-12 then asks asking patients to quantify ‘how much trouble they experience with sexual activity because of their hip?’ with responses converted to a continuous scale (0–100) to measure function. Chi-squared and t-tests were used to compare categorical and continuous variables respectively. Of 7639 procedures (59% female, mean age 36.5 years (SD 11)), 91% (5616 of 6151 respondants) indicated pre-operatively that questions about sexual activity were relevant to them (male 93%, female 90%, p < 0.001). Overall, mean pre-operative sexual function increased from 42.0 (95%CI 41.2 to 42.8, n=5267) to 61.8 (60.6 to 63.1, n=2393) at 6 months, and 62.1 (60.8 to 63.5, n=2246) at 12 months post-operatively. At 12 months, both sexes saw significant improvement in their pre-operative sexual function scores (p<0.0001). Males started from significantly higher baseline sexual function (53.3 vs 34.2) and achieved higher scores by 12 months (68.8 vs 58.0) compared to female patients. There was no significant difference in pre- or post-operative scores when comparing younger (<40 years) and older (>40 years). Most patients can expect to experience improvement in their sexual function following hip arthroscopy, regardless of sex or age group

Elevated blood cobalt secondary to metal-on-metal (MoM) hip arthroplasties has been shown to be a risk factor for developing cardiovascular complications including cardiomyopathy. Published case reports document cardiomyopathy in patients with blood cobalt levels as low as 13µg/l. Clinical studies have found conflicting evidence of cobalt-induced cardiomyopathy in patients with MoM hips. The extent of cardiovascular injury, measured by global longitudinal strain (GLS), in patients with elevated blood cobalt levels has not previously been examined. Sixteen patients with prospectively collected blood cobalt ion levels above 13µg/l were identified and matched with eight patients awaiting hip arthroplasty with no history of cobalt implants. Patients underwent echocardiogram assessment including GLS. Patients with MoM hip arthroplasties had a mean blood cobalt level of 29µg/l compared to 0.01µg/l in the control group. There was no difference or correlation in EF, left ventricular (LV) end systolic dimension, LV end diastolic dimension, fractional shortening, ventricular wall thickness or E/e’ ratio. However, GLS was significantly reduced in patients with MoM hip arthroplasties compared to those without (−15.2% v −18%, (MoM v control) p= 0.0125). Pearson correlation demonstrated that GLS is significantly correlated with blood cobalt level (r= 0.8742, p=0.0009). For the first time, this study has demonstrated reduced cardiac function in the presence of normal EF as assessed by GLS in patients with elevated cobalt above 13µg/l. As GLS is a more sensitive measure of systolic function than EF, routine echocardiogram assessment including GLS should be performed in all patients with MoM hip arthroplasties and elevated blood cobalt

Elevated blood cobalt secondary to metal-on-metal (MoM) hip arthroplasties has been shown to be a risk factor for developing cardiovascular complications including cardiomyopathy. Published case reports document cardiomyopathy in patients with blood cobalt levels as low as 13µg/l (13ppb, 221nmol/l). Clinical studies have found conflicting evidence of cobalt-induced cardiomyopathy in patients with MoM hips. Global longitudinal strain (GLS) is an echocardiography measurement known to be more sensitive than ejection fraction at diagnosing early cardiomyopathies. The extent of cardiovascular injury, as measured by GLS, in patients with elevated blood cobalt levels has not previously been examined. Sixteen patients with documented blood cobalt ion levels above 13µg/l were identified from a regional arthroplasty database. They were matched with eight patients awaiting hip arthroplasty with no history of cobalt implants. All patients underwent electrocardiogram and echocardiogram assessment for signs of cardiomyopathy including GLS. Patients with MoM hip arthroplasties had a mean blood cobalt level of 29µg/l (495nmol/l) compared to 0.01µg/l (0.2nmol/l) in the control group. There was no difference or correlation in ejection fraction (EF), left ventricular (LV) end systolic dimension, LV end diastolic dimension, fractional shortening, ventricular wall thickness or E/e’ ratio. However, GLS was significantly reduced in patients with MoM hip arthroplasties compared to those without (−15.2% v −18%, (MoM v control) p= 0.0125). Pearson correlation demonstrated that GLS is significantly correlated with blood cobalt level (r= 0.8742, p=0.0009). For the first time, this study has demonstrated reduced cardiac function in the presence of normal EF as assessed by GLS in patients with elevated cobalt above 13µg/l. As GLS is a more sensitive measure of systolic function than EF, routine echocardiogram assessment including GLS should be performed in all patients with MoM hip arthroplasties and elevated blood cobalt above 13µg/l. Further work is recommended to assess if these cardiac changes are present in patients with elevated blood cobalt levels below 13µg/l

Aims. The primary aim of this study was to compare the hip-specific functional outcome of robotic assisted total hip arthroplasty (rTHA) with manual total hip arthroplasty (mTHA) in patients with osteoarthritis (OA). Secondary aims were to compare general health improvement, patient satisfaction, and radiological component position and restoration of leg length between rTHA and mTHA. Methods. A total of 40 patients undergoing rTHA were propensity score matched to 80 patients undergoing mTHA for OA. Patients were matched for age, sex, and preoperative function. The Oxford Hip Score (OHS), Forgotten Joint Score (FJS), and EuroQol five-dimension questionnaire (EQ-5D) were collected pre- and postoperatively (mean 10 months (SD 2.2) in rTHA group and 12 months (SD 0.3) in mTHA group). In addition, patient satisfaction was collected postoperatively. Component accuracy was assessed using Lewinnek and Callanan safe zones, and restoration of leg length were assessed radiologically. Results. There were no significant differences in the preoperative demographics (p ≥ 0.781) or function (p ≥ 0.383) between the groups. The postoperative OHS (difference 2.5, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.1 to 4.8; p = 0.038) and FJS (difference 21.1, 95% CI 10.7 to 31.5; p < 0.001) were significantly greater in the rTHA group when compared with the mTHA group. However, only the FJS was clinically significantly greater. There was no difference in the postoperative EQ-5D (difference 0.017, 95% CI -0.042 to 0.077; p = 0.562) between the two groups. No patients were dissatisfied in the rTHA group whereas six were dissatisfied in the mTHA group, but this was not significant (p = 0.176). rTHA was associated with an overall greater rate of component positioning in a safe zone (p ≤ 0.003) and restoration of leg length (p < 0.001). Conclusion. Patients undergoing rTHA had a greater hip-specific functional outcome when compared to mTHA, which may be related to improved component positioning and restoration of leg length. However, there was no difference in their postoperative generic health or rate of satisfaction. Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2021;10(1):22–30

Aims. The Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) has demonstrated faster administration, lower burden of data capture and reduced floor and ceiling effects compared to traditional Patient Reported Outcomes Measurements (PROMs). We investigated the suitability of PROMIS Mobility score in assessing physical function in the sequelae of childhood hip disease. Methods. In all, 266 adolscents (aged ≥ 12 years) and adults were identified with a prior diagnosis of childhood hip disease (either Perthes’ disease (n = 232 (87.2%)) or Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis (n = 34 (12.8%)) with a mean age of 27.73 years (SD 12.24). Participants completed the PROMIS Mobility Computer Adaptive Test, the Non-Arthritic Hip Score (NAHS), EuroQol five-dimension five-level questionnaire, and the Numeric Pain Rating Scale. We investigated the correlation between the PROMIS Mobility and other tools to assess use in this population and any clustering of outcome scores. Results. There was a strong correlation between the PROMIS Mobility and other established PROMs; NAHS (rs = 0.79; p < 0.001). There was notable clustering in PROMIS at the upper end of the distribution score (42.5%), with less seen in the NAHS (20.3%). However, the clustering was broadly similar between PROMIS Mobility and the comparable domains of the NAHS; function (53.6%), and activity (35.0%). Conclusion. PROMIS Mobility strongly correlated with other tools demonstrating convergent construct validity. There was clustering of physical function scores at the upper end of the distributions, which may reflect truncation of the data caused by participants having excellent outcomes. There were elements of disease not captured within PROMIS Mobility alone, and difficulties in differentiating those with the highest levels of function. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2021;2(12):1089–1095

Aims. To establish the survivorship, function, and metal ion levels in an unselected series of metal-on-metal hip resurfacing arthroplasties (HRAs) performed by a non-designer surgeon. Methods. We reviewed 105 consecutive HRAs in 83 patients, performed by a single surgeon, at a mean follow-up of 14.9 years (9.3 to 19.1). The cohort included 45 male and 38 female patients, with a mean age of 49.5 years (SD 12.5). Results. At the time of review 13 patients with 15 hips had died from causes unrelated to the hip operation, and 14 hips had undergone revision surgery, giving an overall survival rate of rate of 86.7% (95% confidence interval (CI) 84.2 to 89.1). The survival rate in men was 97.7% (95% CI 96.3 to 98.9) and in women was 73.4% (95% CI 70.6 to 75.1). The median head size of the failed group was 42 mm (interquartile range (IQR) 42 to 44), and in the surviving group was 50 mm (IQR 46 to 50). In all, 13 of the 14 revised hips had a femoral component measuring ≤ 46 mm. The mean blood levels of cobalt and chromium ions were 26.6 nmol/l (SD 24.5) and 30.6 nmol/l (SD 15.3), respectively. No metal ion levels exceeded the safe limit. The mean Oxford Hip Score was 41.5 (SD 8.9) and Harris Hip Score was 89.9 (14.8). In the surviving group, four patients had radiolucent lines around the stem of the femoral component, and one had lysis around the acetabular component; eight hips demonstrated heterotopic ossification. Conclusion. Our results confirm the existing understanding that HRA provides good long-term survival and function in patients with adequate-sized femoral heads. This is evidenced by a 97.7% survival rate among men (larger heads) in our series at a mean follow-up of 14.9 years. Failure is closely related to head sizes ≤ 46 cm. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2022;3(1):68–76

The benefits of total hip arthroplasty (THA) may be significantly magnified in children, since the improvement in quality of life has a far greater exposure time and occurs during key developmental stages which may help to maximise lifetime achievement. The purpose of this study is to describe implant survival and patient reported outcomes (PROMS) in a cohort of children following THA. Retrospective cohort review of all patients treated with THA in a single centre. Routine data analysis did not require ethical approval. Survival was estimated using Kaplan-Meier and PROMs were recorded (EQ5D-S, Oxford hip score and modified Harris Hip Score) in a sub-group of patients. 66 hips in 47 patients with a median age of 16 years (range 10 to 19 years) underwent THA between 1971 and 2023. 57% (38/68) patients were female, the commonest indications were Mucopolysaccharidoses n = 15, Stills disease (n=15), and Avascular necrosis (n=12). 27 (41%) of constructs were cemented, 5 (8%) were hybrid, and 34 (51%) were cementless. 30 stems were custom made cementless stems. Median follow up was 3.8 years (range 0–34 years). Implant survival was 87% at 10 years, 61.6% at 20 years and 52.8% at 30 years. PROMS demonstrated mean preoperative OHS was 12, preoperative MHHS was 23 and EQ5Ds VAS of 38. PROMS improved steadily overtime with mean OHS of 43, MMHS of 75 and EQ5Ds VAS of 89 at one year. THA was associated with a very large change in patient reported hip function and quality of life. In this study, THA delivered a long-lasting solution to hip pain with survival similar to that seen in patients undergoing THA in the fourth and fifth decades of life. Socioeconomic benefits of THA need further investigation to establish treatment guidelines for children suffering with hip pain

The aims were to assess whether preoperative joint-specific function (JSF) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) were associated with level of clinical frailty in patients waiting for a primary total hip arthroplasty (THA) or knee arthroplasty (KA). Patients waiting for a THA (n=100) or KA (n=100) for more than six months were prospectively recruited from the study centre. Overall, 162 patients responded to the questionnaire (81 THA; 81 KA). Patient demographics, Oxford score, EuroQol five dimension (EQ-5D) score, EuroQol visual analogue score (EQ-VAS), Rockwood Clinical Frailty Score (CFS), and time spent on the waiting list were collected. There was a significant correlation between CFS and the Oxford score (THA r=ˆ’0.838; p<0.001, KA r=ˆ’0.867; p<0.001), EQ-5D index (THA r=ˆ’0.663, p<0.001; KA r=ˆ’0.681; p< 0.001), and EQ-VAS (THA r=ˆ’0.414; p<0.001, KA r=ˆ’0.386; p<0.001). Confounding variables (demographics and waiting time) where adjusted for using multiple regression analysis. For each 8.5 (THA, 95% CI 7.1 to 10.0; p<0.001) and 9.9 (KA, 95% CI 8.4 to 11.4; p<0.001) point change in the Oxford score, there was an associated change in level of the CFS. For each 0.16 (THA, 95% CI 0.10 to 0.22; p<0.001) and 0.20 (KA, 95% CI 0.12 to 0.27; p<0.001) utility change in EQ-5D, there was an associated change in level of the CFS. EQ-VAS (THA, B=ˆ’11.5; p<0.001, KA B=ˆ’7.9; p=0.005) was also associated with CFS. JSF and HRQoL in patients awaiting THA or KA for more than six months, were independently associated with level of clinical frailty. With further prospective studies, clinical frailty may prove to be a useful metric to assist in the prioritization of arthroplasty waiting lists

The hip joint capsular ligaments (CL) passively restrain extreme range of motion (ROM) by wrapping around the native femoral head, and protect against impingement, edge loading wear and dislocation. This study compared how ligament function was affected by device (hip resurfacing arthroplasty, HRA; dual mobility total hip arthroplasty, DM-THA; and conventional THA, C-THA), with and without CL repair. It was hypothesized that ligament function would only be preserved when native anatomy was preserved: with restoration of head-size (HRA or DM-THA) and repair. Eight normal male cadaveric hips were skeletonised, retaining the hip capsule. CL function was quantified by measuring ROM by internally (IR) and externally rotating (ER) the hip in six functional positions, ranging from full extension with abduction to full flexion with adduction (squatting). Native ROM was compared to ROM after posterior capsulotomy and HRA, and C-THA and DM-THA, before and after surgical CL repair. ROM increased most following C-THA (max 62°), then DM-THA (max 40°), then HRA (max 19°), indicating later engagement of the capsule and reduced biomechanical function with smaller head-size. Dislocations also occurred in squatting after C-THA and DM-THA. CL-repair following HRA restored ROM to the native hip (max 8°). CL-repair following DM-THA reduced ROM hypermobility in flexed positions only and prevented dislocation (max 36°). CL-repair following C-THA did not reduce ROM or prevent dislocation. When HRA was combined with repair, native anatomy was preserved and ligament function was restored. For DM-THA with repair, ligament function depended on the movement of the mobile bearing resulting in near-native function in some positions, but increased ROM when ligaments were unable to wrap around the head/neck. Following C-THA, the reduced head-size resulted in inferior capsular mechanics in all positions as the ligaments remained slack, irrespective of repair. Choosing devices with anatomic head-sizes (resurfacing or dual-mobility) and repairing the capsular ligaments may protect against instability in the early postoperative period

Aims. Golf is a popular pursuit among those requiring total hip arthroplasty (THA). The aim of this study was to determine if participating in golf is associated with greater functional outcomes, satisfaction, or improvement in quality of life (QoL) compared to non-golfers. Methods. All patients undergoing primary THA over a one-year period at a single institution were included with one-year postoperative outcomes. Patients were retrospectively followed up to assess if they had been golfers at the time of their surgery. Multivariate linear regression analysis was performed to assess the independent association of preoperative golfing status on outcomes. Results. The study cohort consisted of a total of 308 patients undergoing THA, of whom 44 were golfers (14%). This included 120 male patients (39%) and 188 female patients (61%), with an overall mean age of 67.8 years (SD 11.6). Golfers had a greater mean postoperative Oxford Hip Score (OHS) (3.7 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.9 to 5.5); p < 0.001) and EuroQol visual analogue scale (5.5 (95% CI 0.1 to 11.9); p = 0.039). However, there were no differences in EuroQoL five-dimension score (p = 0.124), pain visual analogue scale (p = 0.505), or Forgotten Joint Score (p = 0.215). When adjusting for confounders, golfers had a greater improvement in their Oxford Hip Score (2.7 (95% CI 0.2 to 5.3); p < 0.001) compared to non-golfers. Of the 44 patients who reported being golfers at the time of their surgery, 32 (72.7%) returned to golf and 84.4% of those were satisfied with their involvement in golf following surgery. Those who returned to golf were more likely to be male (p = 0.039) and had higher (better) preoperative health-related QoL (p = 0.040) and hip-related functional scores (p = 0.026). Conclusion. Golfers had a greater improvement in their hip-specific function compared to non-golfers after THA. However, less than three-quarters of patients return to golf, with male patients and those who had greater preoperative QoL or hip-related function being more likely to return to play. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2022;3(2):145–151

Total Hip Arthroplasty (THA) surgery is a physical and cognitive challenge for surgeons. Data on stress levels, cognitive and physical load of orthopaedic surgeons, as well as ergonomic impact, are limited. With and without the use of an automated impaction device, operational efficiency and the surgeon's ergonomic, mental, and physical load was investigated.

In a total of thirty THA procedures, a standard manual technique was compared with an automated impaction device. Three computerized cognitive tasks (Simon, pattern comparison, and pursuit rotor) and five physical tests (isometric wall-sit, plank-to-fatigue, handgrip, supra-postural task, and shoulder endurance) were used to assess psychophysiological load of the surgeon. Surgeon's cortisol concentration was evaluated from saliva samples. Postural risk was assessed by Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) and Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA). Efficiency was assessed by timing surgical steps and instrumentation flow.

Cognitive performances after automated impaction showed faster response times and lower error rates with a greater time-on-target (+1.5 s) and a lower mouse deviation from target (−1.7 pixels). Manual impaction showed higher physical exhaustion in the isometric wall-sit test (10.6% vs. 22.9%), plank-to-fatigue (2.2% vs. 43.8%), the number of taps in the supra-postural task (−0.7% vs. −7.7%), handgrip force production in the dominant (−6.7% vs. −12.7%) and contralateral hand (+4.7% vs. +7.7%), and in shoulder endurance (−15s vs. −56s). An increase of 38.2% in salivary cortisol concentration between the midday (1.31 nmol/l) and afternoon session (1.81 nmol/l) was observed with manual impaction. After using automated impaction, salivary cortisol concentration decreased (−51.2%). Manual broaching time was on average 6′20’’ versus 7’3’’ with automated impaction. RULA of manual impaction scored 6 for cup impaction and 5 for femoral broaching, versus 3 and 3 for automated impaction, respectively. REBA of manual impaction scored 9 for cup impaction and 5 for femoral broaching, versus 4 and 3 for automated impaction, respectively.

Automated impaction lowers surgeons’ cognitive and physical fatigue and leads to reduced stress and improved ergonomics without loss of surgical efficiency.

Introduction. Functional scores are used to clinically assess total hip arthroplasty (THA) and for comparative purposes in the orthopaedic literature. Previous research has highlighted patient age, gender and underlying diagnosis as potential sources of bias but comorbidity has not been considered. The Functional Comorbidity Index (FCI) is a published epidemiological tool which correlates disease with associated physical function deficit. It scores 18 conditions: one point for each, total score 0–18. Method & Results. We analysed 41 fully cemented primary THAs in patients ≤55 years at time of surgery with a minimum 10 years follow up. Past medical history was collected via thorough case note review. Patients were assessed using the SF-12 questionnaire, Harris Hip and WOMAC indexes. The study population consisted of 29 patients: 12 women, 17 men. Mean age: 45 years (range 22–53). All patients received cemented polished Corin TaperFit stem with polyethylene Ogee cup. Mean follow up 13.4 years (range 10.2–17.7). FCI scores ranged 0–3 (12 hips=0; 19 hips=1, 5 hips=2, 5 hips=4). A Pearson's product-moment correlation coefficient was calculated to assess the relationship between co-morbidity and hip function score using all three indexes. SF-12 score: Mean (M) =88.7; Standard Deviation (SD) =19.3; Range 0–166. Mean by FCI subgroup: 0=91, 1=96, 2=76.8, 3=68.6 (r=−0.407). HHS: M=83.8; SD=17.0; Range 45–100. Mean by FCI subgroup: 0=94.7; 1=88.2, 2=63.5, 3=54.6 (r= −0.813). WOMAC: M=79.1; SD=20.7; Range 34–100. Mean by FCI subgroup: 0=94.4, 1=91.72, 2=48.8, 3=37.4 (r=−0.812). Discussion & Conclusion. Satisfaction was extremely high with 98% of patients “extremely likely” to recommend this treatment to friends or family. Increasing FCI score correlated with decreasing hip function scores in all three indexes. This study suggests a strong negative correlation between patient comorbidity and hip function scores in THA patients. When comparing functional scores, particularly across patient and implant groups, adjustment for patient comorbidities should be made to ensure balanced evaluation

Introduction. As orthopaedics shifts towards value-based models of care, methods of evaluating the value of procedures such as a total hip arthroplasty (THA) will become crucial. Patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) can offer a meaningful way for patient-centered input to factor into the determination of value. Despite their benefits, PROMs can be difficult to interpret as statistically significant, but not clinically relevant, differences between groups can be found. One method of correcting this issue is by using a minimal clinically important improvement (MCII), defined as the smallest improvement in a PROM determined to be important to patients. This study aims to find demographic and surgical factors that are independently predictive of failing to achieve a MCII in pain and physical function at 1-year following THA. Methods. A total of 976 patients were enrolled into a prospective international, multicenter study evaluating the long-term clinical performance of two acetabular shells and two polyethylene liners from a single manufacturer. All patients consented to be followed with plain radiographs and a set of PROMs preoperatively and at 1-year after surgery. The outcomes considered in this study were achieving literature-defined MCIIs in pain and physical function at one year after THA. The MCII in pain was defined as achieving a 2-point decrease on the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS)-Pain or reporting a 1-year NRS-Pain value of 0, indicating no pain. The MCII in physical function was defined as achieving an 8.29-point increase on the SF-36 Physical Function subscore. Univariate analyses were conducted to determine if there were statistically significant differences between patients who did achieve and did not achieve a MCII. Variables tested included: demographic and surgical factors, general and mental health state, and preoperative radiographic findings such as deformity and joint space width (JSW). Significant variables were entered into a multivariable binary logistic regression. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to generate cutoff values for significant continuous variables. Youden's index was used to identify cutoff points that maximized both specificity and sensitivity. Results. Of 976 enrolled patients, 630 (65%) patients had complete preoperative and 1-year PROMs and a valid preoperative radiograph. Of the final cohort, 59 (9%) patients did not achieve the MCII in pain and 208 (33%) patients did not achieve the MCII in physical function following THA. Multivariable analysis determined that higher preoperative JSW (odds ratio (OR)=2.04; p<0.001), and lower preoperative SF-36 Mental Composite Score (MCS) (OR=0.96; p<0.001) were independently predictive of not achieving a MCII in pain. ROC analysis determined that cutoff points for preoperative JSW and MCS were 0.65mm and 47.4 points, respectively. In a separate multivariable regression, we found higher preoperative JSW (OR=1.40; p=0.010) and higher preoperative HHS (OR=1.03; p<0.001) to be independently predictive of not achieving a MCII in physical function. Cutoff points for preoperative JSW and HHS were respectively 0.65mm and 50.5 points. Conclusion. In the upcoming era of value-based orthopaedics, each treatment must produce a meaningful clinical improvement per dollar spent. To help achieve this goal, this study has identified that patients with less severe OA, poor mental health, and good preoperative hip function are at a higher risk for not achieving MCIIs in pain or function after THA. Surgeons can use this analysis to discuss the appropriateness of a THA with their patients, frame patient expectations, and broach the possibility of delaying surgery if the patient has risk factors for poor improvement

Functional scores are used to clinically assess total hip arthroplasty (THA) and for comparative purposes in orthopaedic literature. Previous pilot work has highlighted patient comorbidity as a potential source of bias in addition to the often-examined factors of age, gender and underlying diagnosis. We analysed prospectively collected data relating to 217 primary THAs (Tayside Arthroplasty Audit Group database). Sample size was calculated from previous pilot data (significance level 5%, power 80%, effect size 0.25). Proportional stratified sampling was performed including all patient age groups (≤40, 41–55, 56–65, >65) and four fixation classes (cemented, hybrid, uncemented and Birmingham resurfacing). Five year Harris Hip Function Score (HHFS) was the dependent variable; age, sex, underlying diagnosis, BMI, pre-operative HHFS and comorbidity (Functional Comorbidity Index; range 0–8) were co-variates/co-factors. In univariate analysis, FCI accounted for 11% of the variation in HHFS at 5 years. Regarding patients with FCI 0–1 as a reference group, patients with greater comorbidity had lower HHFS at 5 years (FCI 2–3: −3.95; FCI 4–5: −7.21, FCI ≥6: −6.92). In a multivariable model of HHFS at 5 years, FCI group, diagnosis, pre-operative HHFS, patient age and BMI were significant. HHFS at 5 years was significantly higher in FCI group 0–1 than any other category (2–3 P=0.006, 4–5 P<0.001, ≥6 P=0.002). In total, the model accounted for 29% of variability in HHFS at 5 years. This is the first statistically robust study to examine the effect of comorbidity on THA function. These results strongly suggest that increasing patient comorbidity is associated with poorer THA function when measured using HHS. Two significant conclusions can be drawn:. Patient comorbidity should be taken into account pre-operatively when considering potential future THA function. When comparing across implants, failure to give specific consideration to comorbidity of patient groups will limit relevance and weight of findings

We compared two methods of reconstruction of the abductor mechanism in 15 patients after prosthetic replacement of the upper femur, to assess abductor strength and function. Six patients in group I had direct fixation of the gluteus medius tendon and a segment of the original bone to the prosthesis. Nine patients in group 2 had the abductor tendon fixed to the iliotibial band. We assessed clinical function, isometric muscle strength and muscle cross-sectional area for each patient. The patients in group 1 had better clinical and functional results (p = 0.059), with average peak torques for hip abduction of 92% of that in the non-operated leg in group 1, and of 57% in group 2. Group 1 had a mean muscle cross-sectional area of 69% and a mean value of strength per cross-sectional area of 134% when compared with the control side. The respective values for group 2 were 52% and 91%. Direct fixation of the abductor muscles to the prostheses gave improved function and higher isometric abductor muscle force

Objective. The objective of this study was to explore dimensionality of the Oxford Hip Score (OHS) and examine whether self-reported pain and functioning can be distinguished in the form of subscales. Methods. This was a secondary data analysis of the UK NHS hospital episode statistics/patient-reported outcome measures dataset containing pre-operative OHS scores on 97 487 patients who were undergoing hip replacement surgery. . Results. The proposed number of factors to extract depended on the method of extraction employed. Velicer’s Minimum Average Partial test and the Parallel Analysis suggested one factor, the Cattell’s scree test and Kaiser-over-1 rule suggested two factors. Exploratory factor analysis demonstrated that the two-factor OHS had most of the items saliently loading either of the two factors. These factors were named ‘Pain’ and ‘Function’ and their respective subscales were created. There was some cross-loading of items: 8 (pain on standing up from a chair) and 11 (pain during work). These items were assigned to the ‘Pain’ subscale. The final ‘Pain’ subscale consisted of items 1, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12. The ‘Function’ subscale consisted of items 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7, with the recommended scoring of the subscales being from 0 (worst) to 100 (best). Cronbach’s alpha was 0.855 for the ‘Pain’ subscale and 0.861 for the ‘Function’ subscale. A confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated that the two-factor model of the OHS had a better fit. However, none of the one-factor or two-factor models was rejected. Conclusion. Factor analyses demonstrated that, in addition to current usage as a single summary scale, separate information on pain and self-reported function can be extracted from the OHS in a meaningful way in the form of subscales. Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2014;3:305–9