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Short-stem THA usage in elderly patients yields positive outcomes
Use of short-stem implants for total hip arthroplasty in elderly patients allowed for sustained fixation and adaptive bone remodeling postoperatively, according to study results.
Researchers assessed 92 patients at a mean follow-up of 60 months after undergoing primary short-stem THA. Radiolucent lines and their patterns, radiopaque lines, calcar rounding, proximal bone resorption, spot welds, cortical hypertrophy and intramedullary bone formation around the distal tip were evaluated.
Spot weld condensations were noted in 84 hips at final follow-up, and spot weld formation was observed in all zones except 1 and 4, according to the researchers.
The researchers noted calcar rounding in 90 hips, whereas calcar atrophy occurred in 19. Reactive radiodense lines in zones 1 and 2 were observed in 22 hips, and a prominent reactive line around the tip of the stem was noted in 32.
Radiographic analysis indicated 91.3% of implants were osseointegrated, according to the researchers. None of the patients required stem revision.
Disclosure: The authors have no relevant financial disclosures.