Results of treatment of aseptic loosening of hip prostheses using frozen spongy bone allografts.

BACKGROUND: [corrected] The authors present the results of treatment of aseptic loosening of hip prostheses using frozen allogenic spongy bone grafts. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 34 patients (8 men and 26 women) between 34 and 79 years of age were evaluated. These patients all underwent revision hip arthroplasty during the period from 1995 to 1998. Surgical treatment using frozen spongy bone grafts was performed on patients with defects of the acetabulum and femur after loosening of hip prostheses. In each case bone grafts were used for acetabular and femoral reconstruction. To evaluate the progress of graft incorporation, radiological examinations were made at 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year and 2 years after the date of surgery. We observed the process of calcification abilities of the reconstructed structures were evaluated according to the Merle d'Aubigne-Postel scale. RESULTS: In all cases the spongy bone grafts were reconstructed and rebuilt successfully. 24 patients had good results in further clinical examinations. We argue that frozen allogenic grafts of spongy bone are very useful in filling acetabular and femoral defects in aseptic loosening of hip prostheses. CONCLUSIONS: This method of treatment provides good results and should recommended.