The Adaptiva custom-made stem--our reasons for not using it anymore

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic surgery
• Biomedical engineering
• Medical device technology

Background:

• The Adaptiva custom-made hip stem utilizes computed tomography (CT) scanning for precise fit and fill press-fit anchoring in the proximal femur.
• This custom implant was conceptualized for primary and revision hip arthroplasty, particularly in younger patient demographics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of the Adaptiva custom-made hip stem.
• To assess patient satisfaction and clinical outcomes following implantation of the custom stem.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of patients who received the Adaptiva custom-made hip stem.
• Assessment of surgical outcomes using the Merle d'Aubigné score.
• Evaluation of patient satisfaction rates at a 66-month follow-up period.

Main Results:

• High patient satisfaction with 98.9% reporting satisfaction with the surgical outcome.
• Excellent clinical results, with 86% achieving very good and 9% good outcomes per the Merle d'Aubigné score.
• Despite positive clinical outcomes, the study identified no significant advantages over standard hip implants.

Conclusions:

• The Adaptiva custom-made hip stem demonstrates high patient satisfaction and good clinical outcomes.
• The high cost of custom-made stems for primary hip arthroplasty, without clear advantages over standard implants, led to the discontinuation of its use.
• Further research may be needed to identify specific indications where custom hip stems offer superior value.