The experience that we gathered using uncemented stems for revisions with diaphyseal anchorage gave us satisfactory outcomes both for survival curve

(94% of cases – 15 yrs follow-up) and for clinical results in the aseptic mobilisations.

Thus, we extended this technique in the re-implant of septic prostheses.

We treated 43 cases of septic hip prostheses from 2003 to 2006. The treatment of choice has been the two-stage revision with the implant of temporary spacer, utilising the one-stage treatment just in few cases selected from needle-aspiration positive culture. The technique foresees the utilisation of Wagner uncemented revision stems in 98% of cases and 2% using a first implant prosthesis. Accompaniment antibiotic protocol has been protracted for 3 – 6 months till the negativity of the inflammation index.

Average follow-up of 26 months shows good clinical and radiographical results with percentage of a new revision of the two-stage in 2.32% (1 case).

The uncemented components are confirmed to be the best presidia for the implant stability retrieval in the immediate and long-term either, the two-stage strategy appears sure enough for the re-infections control especially associated with an adequate antibiotic treatment. Therefore, the choice strategy proposed by us favours the uncemented implants in combination with the two-stage.

Background: This report presents the long term (over 20 years) experience with the use of a grit-blasted, press-fit femoral prosthesis.

Methods: The first 300 consecutive primary THA procedures using a collarless, three-dimensional tapered, straight, titanium alloy stem with a grit-blasted surface (performed in 299 patients) were evaluated up to twentytwo years. A cementless all-polyethylene socket in 80 percent of the cases, were used. Radiographic evaluation, performed by an independent observer using a zonal analysis method, included assessment of component migration, Engh’s implant-bone femoral fixation score, implant-bone demarcations, and periprosthetic osteolysis. The average duration of long-term radiographic follow-up was 12.6 years (range; 10 to 16 years).

Results: At last examination only five hips were lost to follow-up and 84 patients were deceased. The femoral revision rate was 7 percent (two hips for aseptic loosening, five hips for septic loosening, and twelve hips with osseointegrated stems for severe progressive femoral osteolysis) and the acetabular revision rate was 28% (revised for either socket migration or progressive peri-acetabular osteolysis or both). Survivorship, based on any revision (femoral or acetabular) was 89% at ten years and 65% at twenty years; survivorship of the femoral component was 95% at ten years and 89% at twenty years. The incidence of femoral periprosthetic osteolysis, was 47%, with 5% of distal endosteal osteolysis. Radiographic femoral implant-bone fixation was stable, bone-ongrowth in 97%; stable, fibrous-fixation in 1%.

Conclusions: The grit-blasted, press-fit, collarless, tapered femoral component continued to perform well clinically and radiographically up to twenty years of follow-up despite the challenging environment of peri-prosthetic osteolysis associated with the acetabular component design. This implant is still in use virtually without design modifications. This study demonstrates the durability of the results of the grit-blasted femoral component and indicates that such an implant offers a viable alternative for fixation without bone cement.

Introduction: T.H.A. revisions are constantly increasing: and it’s known that bone defects – expecially if severe like in rirevision cases – are the main problem to manage during the revision surgery. Since 1988, we have chosen to bypass the bone defects by using an “elastic” non-invading tapered stem (SL Wagner); morsel bone graft is rarely necessary, we never use a massive one. According to our philosophy in revisioning, stability should be obtained by a diaphysary anchorage as proximal as possible.

Methods: Our research concerns 150 cases of SL revision stems implanted from December ’88 to December ’91. The average age is 67 years old, complete clinical evaluation and survivorship analysis for the entire study cohort was performed from 8 to 12 years follow-up, radiographic analysis in 81 cases with 101 months avg. follow-up (min. 60 – max. 143).

Results and Discussion: 4 cases required rirevision; 20 patients deceased; 12 were lost to follow-up; 96 examinated.

Clinical evaluations show an average score of 78 (acc. to HHS); 82,3 percent of patients are pain free, while slight pain still persists in a 13,7 percent pain in a 3,9 percent.

The radiographic analysis has put into evidence only 1 case of mobilization, and suffering bone in 4 percent of cases; by contrast, 79,5 percent show astonishing endosteal bone formation.