Radial Head Prosthesis with Interconnected Porosity Showing Low Bone Resorption Around the Stem

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Biomaterials Engineering
• Radiology

Background:

• Radial head arthroplasty is a standard treatment for complex radial head fractures.
• Concerns exist regarding bone resorption and implant failure after radial head replacement.
• Investigating outcomes of cementless radial head prostheses with interconnected porosity is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess radiological outcomes, specifically bone resorption around the stem.
• To evaluate the performance of a modular, cementless radial head prosthesis with interconnected porosity.
• To establish a reliable method for measuring bone resorption in radial head arthroplasty.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 42 cases undergoing radial head arthroplasty with a 3D-printed prosthesis.
• Inclusion criteria: follow-up between 6 and 15 months post-operatively.
• Development and application of a scoring system by two independent evaluators to measure bone resorption.

Main Results:

• Analysis of 42 patients (average age 59 years) with 6-32 months follow-up.
• 50 radiological evaluations showed varying degrees of stem resorption (average 3.5 mm ± 2.3).
• No correlation found between resorption extent and follow-up duration; high inter-evaluator reliability for the scoring system.

Conclusions:

• Radial head prostheses with interconnected porosity demonstrate a low stem resorption rate.
• This implant type shows favorable short-to-mid-term radiological outcomes for radial head fractures.
• A reliable, easy-to-use radiological classification approach for bone resorption was defined.