TOTAL HIP ARTHROPLASTY AFTER ORTHOPAEDICALLY OR SURGICALLY TREATED ACETABULAR FRACTURE

Purpose: The purpose of this work was to analyse different techniques and outcome of total hip arthroplasty for acetabular degeneration after orthopaedically or surgically treated fracture of the acetabulum. Material and methods: This retrospective analysis of a consecutive series was conducted by an independent observer. Sixty-four arthroplasties in 63 patients performed between 1979 and 2000 were included. Twenty-eight acetabular fractures had been treated surgically and 36 orthopaedically. Five types of cups were implanted (25 cerafit, 3 cerapress, 17 cemented alumina, 11 screwed, 7 polyethylene). All patients were assessed preoperatively and at last follow-up with the Merle d’Aubigne clinical scale. The postoperative and last follow-up radiograms were assessed according to Charnley and De Lee. Operative difficulties were assessed in terms of operative time, blood loss, and analysis of the operation reports. Actuarial survival was calculated. Results: Mean follow-up was five years two months. Six patients were lost to follow-up early. Clinical outcome was satisfactory with significant improvement in the Merle d’Aubigne score. The 10-year survival rate was 81% taking aseptic loosening as the endpoint and 74% taking surgical revision as the endpoint. Operative time and blood loss were significantly related to loss of ace-tabular bone stock and to operator experience (p Discussion: Total hip arthroplasty for acetabular degeneration secondary to acetabular fracture has given good functional results. Long-term survival is below that for primary arthroplasty, the only unfavourable factor identified being loss of acetabular bone stock. The surgical procedure is more difficult and requires a certain experience. We did not find any difference related to the type of treatment (orthopaedic or surgical) used for the initial acetabular fracture. It was difficult to interpret the influence of cup type due to the wide range of cups used in this series.