10-Year Survival of Acetabular Reinforcement Rings/Cages for Complex Hip Arthroplasty
Alexander Ewers1, Christian Spross1, Lukas Ebneter1
1Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, Switzerland.
Introduction:
Acetabular reinforcement rings/ cages (AR) are commonly used for reconstruction of bone defects in complex hip arthroplasty. The aim of this study was to retrospectively investigate the 10-year survival rate of Ganz reinforcement rings and Burch-Schneider cages used in a single institution.
Material And Methods:
Between September 1999 and June 2002 all ARs, implanted in one institution, were identified. All patients had regular clinical and radiographic follow-up and were included in this study. Their prospectively collected clinical and radiographic data was retrospectively analyzed. In case of death before the 10-year follow-up examination, patient's families or their general practitioner was contacted by telephone. The main outcome measures were survival of the ARs and kind of revision surgery.
Results:
The 10-year survival rate was 77.7%. At 10-year follow-up, 5/60 (8,3%) patients could not be located and had to be excluded therefore. 27/55 (49,1%) were dead, whereof 22 had no revision of the ARs before death (after a mean of 66 months; range: 0 - 123). Of the remaining 28/55 (50,9%) patients, 23 patients (24 ARs) had no revision of the ARs.
Conclusion:
Despite the high mortality rate of this study's collective, ARs for complex primary or revision total hip arthroplasty provided predictable long term results.
Level Of Evidence:
Clinical investigation.
