Survivorship of the Charnley Elite Plus cemented femoral stem

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Biomaterials Engineering
• Medical Device Performance

Background:

• Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is a common procedure for hip joint degeneration.
• Femoral stems are critical components influencing THA success and longevity.
• The Charnley Elite Plus femoral stem is a widely used implant in primary hip arthroplasty.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the early clinical and radiographic outcomes of the Charnley Elite Plus femoral stem.
• To assess the survivorship and failure modes of this prosthesis in a multi-surgeon setting.
• To identify potential concerns regarding the long-term performance based on early results.

Main Methods:

• Prospective study of 268 primary hip arthroplasty procedures using the Charnley Elite Plus stem.
• Minimum follow-up of 3 years, with postal and radiographic review at a mean of 4.5 years.
• Analysis of revision procedures for aseptic loosening and radiographic evidence of stem failure.

Main Results:

• Five revision procedures (1.9%) were performed due to aseptic loosening.
• Twelve femoral stems (5.8%) showed gross radiological failure.
• Survivorship was 98.1% when only considering revision for aseptic loosening, but decreased to 93.1% when including radiographic failures.

Conclusions:

• The Charnley Elite Plus femoral stem demonstrated a notable rate of early aseptic loosening and radiographic failure.
• The observed failure rate at a mean of 4.5 years raises significant concerns regarding the long-term survivorship of this implant.
• Further long-term monitoring is warranted to fully understand the performance profile of the Charnley Elite Plus femoral stem.