Variation in Cup Orientation Using Conventional Cup Alignment Techniques as Measured by CT

IntroductionCup malposition in hip arthroplasty and hip resurfacing is associated with instability, accelerated wear, and the need for revision. A recent study measuring cup orientation on conventional radiodiographs demonstrated an incidence of cup malpositioning of 50% according to the safe zone that they defined 1,2. A prior study of 105 conventionally placed cups using CT demonstrated a cup malpositioning incidence of 74%3. The current study similarly assesses the variation in cup position using conventional techniques as measured by CT.MethodsCT studies of 123 hips in 119 patients with total hip arthroplasties performed using conventional techniques were used for this study. The indications for the CT studies were for CT-based surgical navigation of the contralateral side or for assessment of periprosthetic osteolysis. An application specific software modules was developed to measure cup orientation using CT (HipSextant Research Application 1.0.13 Surgical Planning Associates Inc., Boston, Massachuse...