Purpose: We evaluated, retrospectively, twenty hips that had undergone revision surgeries because of massive pelvic osteolysis in order to determine the retention rate of acetabular metal shells and polyethylene liner exchanges..
Materials and Methods: We performed liner exchanges for massive osteolysis around stable HG acetabular cups with severe polyethylene wear in twenty-three hips, between June 1996 and May 2003. Clinical and radiological follow-up was available for 20 hips for more than 2 years. In 18 hips, we performed curettage of the granulomatous tissue and tightly packed morselized cancellous allografts into the screw holes or the peripheral rims for the acetabular osteolytic lesions. The mean follow-up period was 3.8 years (range, 2.4 to 9.3 years) and the mean of time from the primary total hip arthroplasties to the component exchanges, was 8.2 years (range, 5.6 to 12.4 years).
Results: During the follow-up period, all of the hips were functioning well, and none required any subsequent repeat surgeries. Dislocations occurred three times after the repeat operations in one hip, which was treated successfully with an abduction brace. None of the hips demonstrated a progression of the pre-existing osteolytic lesions or the development of any new osteolytic lesions. At the final follow-up, none of the acetabular components demonstrated any evidence of loosening.
Conclusion: Our results demonstrated that isolated liner exchanges and debridement of the granulomatous tissue, with or without bone grafting, can be an effective alternative solution to revision of the cup for massive osteolysis around well-fixed, cementless, acetabular cups in selected patients. Retention of the pre-existing cementless acetabular cup provides less intra-operative and post-operative morbidity. However, in order to determine the longevity of the retained cementless acetabular cups, further long-term studies are necessary.
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