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Uncemented short stems restore hip biomechanics, help preserve bone
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ORLANDO —Some of the properties of uncemented type 2B short hip stems — stems with an oval shape and longitudinal ribs that resist torsional forces — are the ability to help partially retain the femoral neck and preserve bone in young patients, according to a speaker at the Current Concepts in Joint Replacement Winter Meeting.
“Time will tell us if these designs are better than the classic ones,” Martin A. Buttaro, MD, said.
According to Buttaro, there are certain cases for which type 2B short hip stems are well-suited, such as patients with Crowe 1 and 2 hips, and patients with Dorr A coxa vara femurs.
“By using these short stems, we can avoid these narrow canals and fix the stem in the neck and the proximal metaphysis,” he said, referring to the Dorr A femurs.
In addition, 124 cases that Buttaro and his colleagues analyzed, in which patients with short vs. conventional designs and short vs. resurfacing total hip arthroplasty were studied, demonstrated the ability of short femoral stems to restore hip biomechanics.
“We achieved the center of rotation with the same accuracy with three systems,” Buttaro said.
Although offset was better managed with the conventional stem, he said, “leg-length discrepancy was better managed with the short stem.”
Furthermore, “A loose short stem can be revised with a conventional design,” Buttaro said. – by Susan M. Rapp
Reference:
Buttaro MA. Paper 11. Presented at: Current Concepts in Joint Replacement Winter Meeting; Dec. 12-15, 2018; Orlando.
Disclosure: Buttaro reports he has educational relationships with CeramTec Medical Products, DePuy Synthes, Stryker and Zimmer Biomet.