THA using an anatomic stem in patients with femoral head osteonecrosis

Treating young patients with femoral head osteonecrosis (ON) remains challenging. Anatomic stems were introduced in the 1980s and 1990s to improve the proximal canal fit in an attempt to enhance long-term implant survival, an important aspect of treating young patients. We began using one design in 1993 and asked three questions to confirm whether the design criteria improved outcomes in patients with ON: (1) What is the long term survivorship of these implants?; (2) What is the amount and rate of wear?; and (3) What is the incidence of osteolysis? We retrospectively reviewed 56 patients (69 hips) who underwent THA for femoral head ON with a cementless anatomic stem proximally coated with hydroxyapatite. Four patients (four hips) were lost to followup and 16 patients (19 hips) died. In the remaining 36 patients (46 hips) the minimum followup was 10 years (mean, 11.2 years; range, 10-13 years). The mean age at operation was 48.6 years. The average Harris hip score at last followup was 87 points. Worst-case survivorship was 58.1% at 13 years and best-case was 93.3%. The average linear wear of the polyethylene liner was 2.02 mm and the average annual wear was 0.18 mm per year. Thirty-seven hips (80%) had femoral osteolysis and 14 (30%) had acetabular osteolysis. One patient who had extensive femoral osteolysis and stem loosening was revised at 11.2 years postoperatively. The high rates of polyethylene wear and osteolysis are of concern.