Acetabular cup size trends in total hip arthroplasty
Daniel Patrick McKenna1, Alex Price2, Timothy McAleese2
1Department of Trauma and Orthopaedics, University Hospital Waterford, Waterford X91 ER8E, Ireland. danielmckenna21@rcsi.com.
World Journal of Orthopedics
|January 31, 2024
Summary
Surgeon experience in total hip arthroplasty (THA) correlates with decreasing acetabular cup size, indicating improved bone preservation. This trend suggests smaller cup size may reflect greater surgical skill in acetabular reaming.
Area of Science:
- Orthopaedic surgery
- Surgical outcomes
- Biomedical engineering
Background:
- Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is a common treatment for end-stage osteoarthritis.
- Acetabular reaming presents a significant challenge in the THA learning curve.
- Preservation of bone stock during THA is a critical surgical consideration.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if increased surgeon experience in THA is associated with a reduction in acetabular cup size.
- To explore the relationship between surgical experience and bone stock preservation during acetabular reaming.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective case series analysis of 1614 uncemented elective THA procedures.
- Inclusion of data from four attending orthopaedic surgeons.
- Logistic regression analysis to assess trends in acetabular cup size over time.
Main Results:
- A statistically significant trend of decreasing acetabular cup size was observed (0.18 mm/year, P < 0.001).
- Individual surgeon trends showed varying rates of decrease in cup size per year.
- A more pronounced trend towards smaller cups in male subjects was noted for three surgeons.
Conclusions:
- Increasing surgeon experience in THA is linked to a consistent decrease in acetabular cup size.
- Smaller acetabular cup size may serve as a surrogate marker for enhanced surgical proficiency.
- Reduced acetabular reaming, indicated by smaller cup sizes, may signify improved surgical technique and bone preservation.
