Does intraoperative fluoroscopy improve component positioning in total hip arthroplasty?

Accurate placement of components is imperative for successful outcomes after total hip arthroplasty (THA). Although technology-assisted techniques offer the potential for greater accuracy in prosthesis positioning, the need for additional resources prevents their widespread use. The goal of this study was to compare primary THA procedures performed with and without intraoperative fluoroscopic guidance with regard to accuracy of prosthesis placement, operative time, and postoperative complications. The authors reviewed 341 consecutive cases (330 patients) undergoing primary THA at the authors' institution from September 2007 to January 2010. Postoperative anteroposterior radiographs were used to measure acetabular inclination angle, leg length discrepancy, and femoral offset discrepancy. Operative time and postoperative complications related to implant positioning were recorded. Mean acetabular inclination angle, leg length discrepancy, and offset discrepancy for control vs study groups were 43.0° (range, 32.2°-61.4°) vs 43.8° (range, 29.0°-55.1°), 4.75 mm (range, 0-25) vs 4.24 mm (range, 0-27), and 8.47 mm (range, 0-9.7) vs 7.70 mm (range, 0-31), respectively. Complication rates were not significantly different between the control (8.1%) and study (5.3%) groups. Mean operative time was significantly higher in the study group compared with the control group (59.8 vs 52.8 minutes) (P<.0001). The findings showed that intraoperative fluoroscopy may not improve prosthesis accuracy or decrease postoperative complication rates compared with a freehand technique. Because of significantly increased operative time and cost associated with fluoroscopic guidance, the authors discourage the use of this technique in uncomplicated primary THA performed at high-volume arthroplasty institutions.