A Novel Approach for Correcting Limb Length Discrepancy in Total Hip Arthroplasty

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Leg length discrepancy (LLD) is a common complication following total hip arthroplasty (THA).
• Accurate correction of LLD is crucial for optimal patient outcomes and function after THA.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the accuracy of a novel suture technique combined with a spirit-level device for LLD correction during THA.
• To compare this technique against the conventional supraacetabular pin and caliper measurement method.

Main Methods:

• A comparative study involving 137 patients undergoing unilateral primary THA.
• Patients were divided into two groups: Group 1 (n=62) used the suture technique with a spirit-level device, and Group 2 (n=75) used the supraacetabular pin and caliper method.
• Leg length discrepancy was measured preoperatively and postoperatively using full-length radiographs.

Main Results:

• Preoperative LLD was comparable between both groups (mean 11.6 mm vs. 9.5 mm).
• Postoperative LLD was significantly lower in the group utilizing the suture technique with a spirit-level device (p<0.001).

Conclusions:

• The suture technique, augmented by a spirit-level device, demonstrates superior effectiveness in correcting LLD during THA.
• This method facilitates achieving a consistent leg position, leading to improved accuracy in LLD correction.