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Chronic irritation of the iliopsoas tendon is a rare cause of persistent pain after total joint replacement of the hip. In the majority of cases, pain results from a mechanical conflict between the iliopsoas tendon and the anterior edge of the acetabular cup after total hip arthroplasty. Pain can be reproduced by active flexion of the hip and by active raising of the straightened leg. In addition, painful leg raising against resistance and passive hyperextension are suggestive of an irritation of the iliopsoas tendon. Symptoms evolve from a mechanical irritation of the iliopsoas tendon and an oversized or retroverted acetabular cup, screws penetrating into the inner aspect of the ilium, or from bone cement protruding beyond the anterior acetabular rim. The diagnosis may be assumed on conventional radiographs and confirmed by CT scans. Fifteen patients with psoas irritation after total hip replacement are reported on. Eleven patients were treated surgically. The acetabular cup was revised and reoriented with more anteversion in six patients, isolated screws penetrating into the tendon were cut and leveled in three patients, and prominent bone cement in conflict with the tendon was resected once. A partial release of the iliopsoas tendon only was performed in another patient. Follow-up examination (range: 11-89 months) revealed that nine patients were free of pain and two patient had mild residual complaints. Psoas irritation in combination with total hip replacement can be prevented by a correct surgical technique, especially with proper selection of the cup size and insertion of the acetabular cup avoiding a rim position exceeding the level of the anterior acetabular rim.

Traumatic disruption of the acetabular triradiate cartilage is an infrequent injury. When it occurs in early childhood, it may lead to growth changes in acetabular morphology. The morphology of this kind of acetabular dysplasia is uniform and differs significantly from that seen in classic developmental dysplasia of the hip. We present a case of bilateral post-traumatic acetabular dysplasia, which to our knowledge has not been reported. The morphology and the symptoms of impingement and periacetabular osteotomy of the hip joint are discussed.

Epiphyseolysis capitis femoris represents the most common disorder of the adolescent hip, which is followed by a significant rate of early osteoarthrosis. Based on intraoperative findings during the surgical management of 23 hips with epiphyseolysis, early acetabular cartilage abrasion by a cam effect and acetabular rim impingement elicited by the prominent femoral metaphysis have been identified. Both phenomena cause direct damage to the hip joint, especially during flexion and flexion/internal rotation of the hip. As evidenced during surgery, the prominent and sometimes sharp-edged anterior neck metaphysis leveling or exceeding the femoral head showed marks of contusion and the labrum revealed erosions, scars, or tears. Moreover, adjacent acetabular cartilage damage was present ranging from superficial abrasions to a full thickness cartilage loss propagating into the weight-bearing area. In all patients the femoral head cartilage was intact; no avascular necrosis was present. These findings suggest that osteoarthrosis is triggered by direct mechanical damage in the epiphysiolysis hip already during the process of slipping and that chondrolysis appears to represent just the most severe form of this cartilage damage. Consequently, we propose that treatment should not only address the avoidance of a further slippage but also the prevention of impingement and cam leading to early acetabular cartilage damage.

We used laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) with a high energy (20 mW) laser to measure perfusion of the femoral head intraoperatively in 32 hips. The surgical procedure was joint debridement requiring dislocation or subluxation of the hip. The laser probe was placed within the anterosuperior quadrant of the femoral head. Blood flow was monitored in specific positions of the hip before and after dislocation or subluxation. With the femoral head reduced, external rotation, both in extension and flexion, caused a reduction of blood flow. During subluxation or dislocation, it was impaired when the posterosuperior femoral neck was allowed to rest on the posterior acetabular rim. A pulsatile signal returned when the hip was reduced, or was taken out of extreme positions when dislocated. After the final reduction, the signal amplitudes were first slightly lower (12%) compared with the initial value but tended to be restored to the initial levels within 30 minutes. Most of the changes in the signal can be explained by compromise of the extraosseous branches of the medial femoral circumflex artery and are reversible. Our study shows that LDF provides proof for the clinical observation that perfusion of the femoral head is maintained after dislocation if specific surgical precautions are followed.

Osteonecrosis of the femoral head can be caused by a variety of disorders and affects the relatively young patient. Most studies have concentrated on the femoral changes; the sites of early lesions of the labrum and acetabular cartilage have not been recorded. We studied 17 hips with osteonecrosis and a wide congruent joint space on radiographs and by direct inspection of the femoral head, labrum and acetabular cartilage during surgery. All of the femoral heads had some anterosuperior flattening which reduced the head-neck ratio in this area. A consistent pattern of damage to the labrum and the acetabular cartilage was seen in all hips. Intraoperatively, impingement and the cam-effect with its spatial correlation with lesions of the labrum and acetabular cartilage were observed. These findings could be helpful when undertaking conservative surgery for osteonecrosis, since the recognition of early radiologically undetectable acetabular lesions may require modification of the surgical technique.

Surgical dislocation of the hip is rarely undertaken. The potential danger to the vascularity of the femoral head has been emphasised, but there is little information as to how this danger can be avoided. We describe a technique for operative dislocation of the hip, based on detailed anatomical studies of the blood supply. It combines aspects of approaches which have been reported previously and consists of an anterior dislocation through a posterior approach with a 'trochanteric flip' osteotomy. The external rotator muscles are not divided and the medial femoral circumflex artery is protected by the intact obturator externus. We report our experience using this approach in 213 hips over a period of seven years and include 19 patients who underwent simultaneous intertrochanteric osteotomy. The perfusion of the femoral head was verified intraoperatively and, to date, none has subsequently developed avascular necrosis. There is little morbidity associated with the technique and it allows the treatment of a variety of conditions, which may not respond well to other methods including arthroscopy. Surgical dislocation gives new insight into the pathogenesis of some hip disorders and the possibility of preserving the hip with techniques such as transplantation of cartilage.

In residual hip dysplasia the fovea capitis femoris lays often more cranial than in the normal hip morphology, the ligamentum capitis femoris thereby articulating with the weight-bearing area of the acetabular cartilage. The aim of this study was to quantitate this aspect with regard to its potential negative effect for the degeneration of the dysplastic acetabulum.The relation between the fovea capitis femoris and the weight-bearing area were studied using the a.p.-pelvis view in normal and dysplastic hips. The measurements were made by digital image analysis.The hypothesis that the "fovea alta" is characteristic for the dysplastic hip was confirmed. In dysplastic hips the typically wider fovea lays on average 30 degrees more cranial, touching the weight-bearing area over 11 degrees. The fovea in normal hips has on average a distance of 26 degrees to the acetabular roof. In dysplastic hips the steeper roof, the tendency for decentering of the femoral head as well as a higher CCD angle explain this phenomenon to a certain degree. In a theoretical model to correct the acetabular position over the femoral head alone one quarter of the foveae would still touch the weight-bearing area. Nevertheless, in our series after periacetabular osteotomy this was never the case due to better centering.lt is our hypothesis that a "fovea alta", which further reduces the already smaller loaded cartilage surface, is one part leading to the early degeneration of the dysplastic hip. Therefore, it should be considered in biomechanical models and in the planning of corrective procedures.

The long-term results of acetabular revision after total hip arthroplasty (THA) with the use of a reinforcement ring with hook were evaluated. The study included 57 cases of surgery dating back 10 years or more. Of a total of 54 patients (57 operated hips), 18 patients (19 hips) died during the 10-year period and 2 patients (2 hips) were completely lost to follow-up. At the time of the revision surgery, the mean age of the remaining 34 patients (36 hips) was 62.5 years (range: 47-80). A THA revision was done in 25 cases and an acetabular revision only in 11 cases. The most common acetabular defect was a combined segmental and cavitary defect (n = 19), and in three cases there was pelvic discontinuity. Autologous or homologous cancellous bone grafts were used to fill acetabular cavities in 17 hip joints. Structured bone grafts, predominantly homologous bone, were used in ten cases for acetabular reconstruction. At a mean follow-up of 11.4 years (range: 10-14.5) three hip joints (8%) had undergone further revision. The revisions were done for aseptic loosening of the acetabular component in two cases and a septic loosening of both components in one case. Three further cases (8%) revealed signs of acetabular loosening. Two of these three patients were symptomatic but refused further revision surgery. In the 33 unrevised hip joints, a good or excellent clinical result with a d'Aubingé score of more than 14 points was found in 30 cases (92%). Osseous acetabular reconstruction with the use of a reinforcement ring leads to favorable results compared to other techniques. In the authors' opinion, this technique is preferable to those using oversized cups without osseous reconstruction of the acetabulum.

We have observed damage to the labrum as a result of repetitive acetabular impingement in non-dysplastic hips, in which the femoral neck appears to abut against the acetabular labrum and a non-spherical femoral head to press against the labrum and adjacent cartilage. In both mechanisms anatomical variations of the proximal femur may be a factor. We have measured the orientation of the femoral neck and the offset of the head at various circumferential positions, using MRI data from volunteers with no osteoarthritic changes on standard radiographs. Compared with the control subjects, paired for gender and age, patients showed a significant reduction in mean femoral anteversion and mean head-neck offset on the anterior aspect of the neck. This was consistent with the site of symptomatic impingement in flexion and internal rotation, and with lesions of the adjacent rim. Furthermore, when stratified for gender and age, and compared with the control group, the mean femoral head-neck offset was significantly reduced in the lateral-to-anterior aspect of the neck for young men, and in the anterolateral-to-anterior aspect of the neck for older women. For patients suspected of having impingement of the rim, anatomical variations in the proximal femur should be considered as a possible cause.

The study was undertaken to determine the value of standard radiographs in the early stages of osteoarthritis.Standard radiographs and arthro-MRI's from thirty hips operated on for early arthrosis (age 25-57 years) were independently analyzed by two orthopaedic surgeons and one radiologist blinded from the intra-operative findings. The radiographs were read on two occasions two months apart. The radiographic findings were then compared to the intra-operative findings.Intra-operatively, all cases had a labral lesion and, in all but three of the cases, there was a major acetabular cartilage lesion. Each investigator diagnosed all of the labral and/or cartilage lesions on the arthro-MRI. However, on average, the investigators judged 20% (10-35%) of the hips to be normal on the standard radiographs. The probability of detecting an abnormal hip joint was statistically significantly better with arthro-MRI in four of six readings (p0.05) and there was a trend in favor of the arthro-MRI in the other two readings (p0.1). Intra-observer agreement when using the Tönnis classification of arthrosis on standard radiographs was 0.26 (-0.1-0.62), 0.69 (0.42-0.96) and 0.83 (0.53-1) [kappa-statistic, (95% confidence interval)]. The interobserver agreement was 0.24 (-0.07-0.55).Plain radiographs in the early stages of osteoarthrosis of the hip are neither reliable nor valid to diagnose the onset of disease. Therefore, in the case of a normal radiograph and clinical suspicion of arthrosis, a "normal" radiograph does not exclude the diagnosis and an artho-MRI should be obtained for further evaluation.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incidence of intraoperative superior gluteal nerve irritation and to identify specific surgical maneuvers that may harm the nerve. Continuous intraoperative electromyography (EMG) monitoring of the superior gluteal nerve-innervated muscles (gluteus medius and tensor fascia lata muscles) was performed in 12 patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty. A modified lateral approach was used, including a partial anterior osteotomy of the greater trochanter with splitting of the gluteus medius and vastus lateralis muscles. All patients had a clinical follow-up examination 1 year postoperatively to evaluate abductor muscle function. Irritation of the nerve occurred first during splitting of the gluteus medius muscle, then with increased gluteus medius retraction for exposure of the acetabulum, and finally during positioning of the leg for preparation of the femur. The detected EMG alterations were important because they were found in a single patient with persistent abductor muscle weakness.

The primary source for the blood supply of the head of the femur is the deep branch of the medial femoral circumflex artery (MFCA). In posterior approaches to the hip and pelvis the short external rotators are often divided. This can damage the deep branch and interfere with perfusion of the head. We describe the anatomy of the MFCA and its branches based on dissections of 24 cadaver hips after injection of neoprene-latex into the femoral or internal iliac arteries. The course of the deep branch of the MFCA was constant in its extracapsular segment. In all cases there was a trochanteric branch at the proximal border of quadratus femoris spreading on to the lateral aspect of the greater trochanter. This branch marks the level of the tendon of obturator externus, which is crossed posteriorly by the deep branch of the MFCA. As the deep branch travels superiorly, it crosses anterior to the conjoint tendon of gemellus inferior, obturator internus and gemellus superior. It then perforates the joint capsule at the level of gemellus superior. In its intracapsular segment it runs along the posterosuperior aspect of the neck of the femur dividing into two to four subsynovial retinacular vessels. We demonstrated that obturator externus protected the deep branch of the MFCA from being disrupted or stretched during dislocation of the hip in any direction after serial release of all other soft-tissue attachments of the proximal femur, including a complete circumferential capsulotomy. Precise knowledge of the extracapsular anatomy of the MFCA and its surrounding structures will help to avoid iatrogenic avascular necrosis of the head of the femur in reconstructive surgery of the hip and fixation of acetabular fractures through the posterior approach.

In order to investigate the functional anatomy of gluteus minimus we dissected 16 hips in fresh cadavers. The muscle originates from the external aspect of the ilium, between the anterior and inferior gluteal lines, and also at the sciatic notch from the inside of the pelvis where it protects the superior gluteal nerve and artery. It inserts anterosuperiorly into the capsule of the hip and continues to its main insertion on the greater trochanter. Based on these anatomical findings, a model was developed using plastic bones. A study of its mechanics showed that gluteus minimus acts as a flexor, an abductor and an internal or external rotator, depending on the position of the femur and which part of the muscle is active. It follows that one of its functions is to stabilise the head of the femur in the acetabulum by tightening the capsule and applying pressure on the head. Careful preservation or reattachment of the tendon of gluteus minimus during surgery on the hip is strongly recommended.

We evaluated the radiological pelvic diameter after the bernese periacetabular osteotomy (PAO) and its influence on the modality of birth. Out of 93 woman, 17 had a total of 28 babies after PAO; 18 children were delivered spontaneously and 10 by caesarean section. The rate of section (36 %) was twice as high after PAO as in a normal population. In 50 % the indication to perform a section was made because the obstetrician anticipated problems during delivering after PAO. The average weight of birth was 3348 g +/- 285 g in the spontaneous delivery group, 3475 g +/- 356 g in the section group. The weight of birth didn't correlate neither with the duration of delivery nor with the indication to perform a section. The 17 woman who had a baby after PAO didn't show a significant change of the radiological diameters of the pelvis: pelvic entrance (before PAO 15. 4 cm, after PAO 15.7 cm), mid-pelvis (before PAO 11.8 cm, after PAO 11.8 cm) and pelvic outlet (before PAO 14.2 cm, after PAO 13.7 cm). We found that the PAO does not influence the anatomical diameters of the birth canal and therefore is not an indication for a section.

We carried out the Bernese periacetabular osteotomy for the treatment of 13 dysplastic hips in 11 skeletally mature patients with an underlying neurological diagnosis. Seven hips had flaccid paralysis and six were spastic. The mean age at the time of surgery was 23 years and the mean length of follow-up was 6.4 years. Preoperatively, 11 hips had pain and two had progressive subluxation. Before operation the mean Tönnis angle was 33 degrees, the mean centre-edge angle was -10 degrees, and the mean extrusion index was 53%. Postoperatively, they were 8 degrees, 25 degrees and 15%, respectively. Pain was eliminated in 7 patients and reduced in four in those who had preoperative pain. One patient developed pain secondary to anterior impingement from excessive retroversion of the acetabulum. Four required a varus proximal femoral osteotomy at the time of the pelvic procedure and one a late varus proximal femoral osteotomy for progressive subluxation. Before operation no patient had arthritis. At the most recent follow-up one had early arthritis of the hip (Tönnis grade I) and one had advanced arthritis (Tönnis grade III). Our results suggest that the Bernese periacetabular osteotomy can be used successfully to treat neurogenic acetabular dysplasia in skeletally mature patients.

A consecutive series of 40 patients, who sustained 42 ipsilateral pelvic and femoral fractures, is reported. There were eight (26.6%) traumatic neurological deficits and three open femoral fractures. Two multiply injured patients died in the postraumatic period because of the severity of their injuries. No associated vascular injuries could be identified. All but two fractures of the femur, 8 of the 15 fractures of the pelvic ring and 17 of the 30 fractures of the acetabulum were treated by internal fixation. In 26 patients internal fixation was performed on both fracture components (in 17 patients this was done under the same period of anaesthesia). Postoperatively, a deep venous thrombosis in three patients, one deep wound infection and five (18.5%) iatrogenic neurological deficits had to be notified. In this series we could not identify any specific associated injuries and complications as known for the floating knee or the floating elbow. The term floating hip is inprecise and misleading, and its use is not recommended. The treatment of this fracture-combination follows the guidelines established for the individual lesions.

Subtrochanteric fractures frequently occur as high energy trauma usually in younger patients and may lead to severe comminution of the medial cortex. The medial cortex of the proximal femur is exposed to high compressive forces which make fracture stabilization a difficult problem. Bone healing may be seriously compromised due to extensive comminution and fragment devitalization. This requires reduction techniques which do not cause additional damage to the vitality of the bone. With indirect reduction techniques and the use of a condylar blade plate the results have been significantly improved in these fracture types in our department(1). In this report the essential aspects of indirect reduction for subtrochanteric fractures using a condylar blade plate and the treatment results from our department from earlier years (1) and from the last 21/2years will be presented. In the latter period, fifteen patients with a mean age of 49 years (19–87 years) were treated with this method. Fractures resulted from traffic incidents or falls from a great height in 11 cases (73%). Union was achieved in 14 cases (93%) with full weight-bearing after a mean of 3 months (1–41/2months). Malunion was seen in two cases (13%) without the need for further surgery. Non union occurred in one patient (7%) with a III B open injury due to early infection. After repeated debridements, bone grafting and decortication, the fracture was stabilized with a replacement condylar blade plate and healed uneventfully. The results have been very encouraging and indirect reduction with a condylar blade plate in subtrochanteric fractures continues to be used in a large number of these fractures. With long, intact proximal fragments interlocking intramedullary devices are used instead.

Lateral plating was combined with external fixation to treat 18 complex, proximal, tibial fractures with severe soft tissue injury. All patients were followed up until functional restoration of the limb had been achieved. In 15 cases, bone healing was uneventful. One deep infection without knee joint arthritis, one delayed union and one malunion necessitated revision. Pin track complications were negligible and soft tissue breakdown was not observed. The short-term results regarding the functional outcome showed a painless condition and good function in all patients. The method of fixation described is more invasive than the currently proposed minimally invasive combined fixation techniques, but can be regarded as an optimization of the mechanical and biological advantages of the implants.

This study examined the clinical results and technical challenges associated with acetabular reconstruction in developmental dysplasia of the hip using the acetabular reinforcement ring with hook. We reviewed 33 consecutive reconstructions performed by a single surgeon. At an average follow-up of 6.7 years, the mean Merle-d'Aubigne score had increased from 7 to 16. Two revisions were performed for aseptic loosening. Of the unrevised hips, 1 was classified as definitely loose and 1 as possibly loose. These results compare favorably with others in the literature. The acetabular reinforcement ring may prevent graft resorption and cup migration, major causes of socket failure in reconstruction of the deficient acetabulum.

Indentation fractures of the femoral head, are known to be rare with poor long-term prognosis. This study aimed to demonstrate that intertrochanteric osteotomy allowed improvement of late outcome after indentation fractures of the femoral head.Between 1980 and 1984, four patients with a femoral head fracture after traumatic hip dislocation were treated by intertrochanteric osteotomy. The mean age at time of surgery was 24 years. The injury was a traffic accident in 2 out of 4 cases. All of four had indentation fractures of the left femoral head. All patients underwent immediate reduction of the dislocation. The intertrochanteric osteotomy, was delayed between 1 months to 3 years. Four Müller's osteotomies and one Sugioka's osteotomy were performed. One patient had 2 successive procedures. Mean pre-operative Merle d'Aubigne score was 13.5. In this retrospective study, results were assessed according to Merle d'Aubigne score and Epstein clinical and radiological method.Mean follow-up was 9 years (7 to 12). Three patients had a good result and one had two successive poor results in the same hip. Mean last follow-up Merle's score was 16.3 (15 to 18). The only poor result occurred because of late femoral head necrosis, in one hip with 2 successive osteotomies.As indentation fractures occurred in the upper part of the femoral head, the goal of the osteotomy was to displace the impacted articular surface out of the weight-bearing area. The prognosis of such lesions was usually poor, because in previously reported series, patients received no treatment. In our experience, intertrochanteric osteotomy could be proposed as an efficient therapy in femoral head indentation fractures.

Nailing of femoral fractures before closure of the growth plates may lead to avascular necrosis of the femoral head in 3-4% of cases. In addition to the 14 cases described in the literature we present 3 more. Analysis of these cases reveals a common pathogenesis. The nails were all inserted anterograde and were designed for the adult femur. The problem appears to be related to the large diameter of the nail and its entry point in the relatively small femoral neck basis, close to the vessels supplying the femoral head. The role of the open physis remains unclear. Even though the complication of femoral head necrosis is rare, it is a severe complication. Therefore we do not recommend anterograde femoral nailing, using the classic entry point, in children or adolescents. We believe that there is a need for a new design of femoral nail. If both femoral head necrosis and coxa valga are to be avoided, we suggest that the entry point of the nail should be dorsolateral, below the trochanteric physis.

The intraoperative blood loss of 40 uncomplicated primary total hip arthroplasties was studied in a retrospective, matched pair analysis. Half of them were implanted in the supine position after complete excision of the capsule and the other half in the lateral position with preservation of the capsule. The patients were matched for mono- or bilateral procedure. Only one surgeon carried out the operations using the same operative technique and identical prosthesis in both groups. The intraoperative blood loss associated with the lateral position and preservation of the capsule averaged 830 ml and was significantly lower (P = 0.01) than 1165 ml with the supine position and complete capsulectomy. Thus, the intraoperative blood loss can be significantly reduced in primary total hip arthroplasty by choosing the lateral position and preserving the capsule.

The Bernese periacetabular osteotomy was developed for precise spatial reorientation of the adult dyplastic acetabulum and improvement of the femoral head coverage. The osteotomy has a large correction potential (average decrease of acetabular index: 22 degrees) but is technically demanding. With appropriate patient selection, the results obtained are promising. Therefore, the technique described should be considered in the treatment plan for the acetabular dysplasia of the young adult.

We compared 74 total hip arthroplasties (THAs) carried out after previous proximal femoral osteotomy with a diagnosis-matched control group of 74 primary procedures performed during the same period. We report the perioperative results and the clinical and radiological outcome at five to ten years. We anticipated a higher rate of complications in the group with previous osteotomy, but found no significant difference in the rate of perioperative complications (11% each) or in the septic (8% v 3%) and aseptic (4% each) revision rates. There was a trend towards improved survival in the group without previous osteotomy (90% v 82%), but this difference was not statistically significant. The only significant differences were a higher rate of trochanteric osteotomy (88% v 14%) and a longer operating time in the osteotomy group. Our study indicates that THA after previous osteotomy is technically more demanding but not necessarily associated with a higher rate of complications. Furthermore, proximal femoral osteotomy does not jeopardize the clinical and radiological outcome of future THA enough to exclude the use of osteotomy as a therapeutic alternative in younger patients.

Since January 1993 we have carried out MR arthrography on 23 patients with clinical symptoms and signs of abnormality of the acetabular labrum. Most of the patients were young adults. Such symptoms are known precursors of osteoarthritis, and therefore early and accurate evaluation is required. We assessed the value of MR arthrography of the hip as a minimally-invasive diagnostic technique, in a prospective study and compared the findings with those at subsequent operations. All the patients complained of groin pain; 22 had a positive acetabular impingement test and 15 had radiological evidence of hip dysplasia. In 21 of the patients, MR arthrography suggested either degeneration or a tear of the labrum or both. These findings were confirmed at operation in 18 patients, but there was no abnormality of the labrum in the other three. In two of the patients, MR arthrography erroneously suggested an intact labrum. Both MR arthrography and intraoperative inspection located lesions of the superior labrum most often, and these appeared slightly larger on arthrography than at operation. We consider that MR arthrography is a promising diagnostic technique for the evaluation of abnormalities of the acetabular labrum.

We have treated 42 consecutive complex ununited fractures of the femoral shaft by wave-plate osteosynthesis at five different medical centres. There were 13 with previous infection, 12 with segmental cortical defects, and 3 were pathological fractures. In 39 cases there had been previous internal fixation and 21 patients had had more than one earlier operation. Union was achieved in 41 patients at an average of six months, although three had required a second bone graft. Two patients had recurrence of infection and in one this resulted in the persistence of nonunion. There were no failures of the implant. All 41 patients with union are now fully weight-bearing, but four have a leg-length discrepancy, one has axial malalignment, and nine have residual stiffness of the knee. These results are surprisingly good, despite the complexity of the initial problem, and appear to confirm the biological and mechanical advantages of the wave plate over the conventional plate for such cases.

Thirty-seven operatively treated patients with residual acetabular dysplasia without arthritis had a labrum tear in the antero-lateral quadrant. A sensation of hip locking, or of a "dead leg" and episodes of "giving-way" were found to predict the presence of the tear. 95% of patients had an acute onset of pain. We treated the patients with a peri-acetabular osteotomy and in 12 cases the tear was repaired with a transosseous suture. We excised the labrum lesion in 21 cases with an extended avulsion from the bony rim and 4 tears were not severe enough to require attention. Twenty-two patients were available for a 4.5-year follow-up (range 2-8 years): 18 patients had no pain, 3 had mild pain and one had severe pain. Final pain outcome was not influenced by intraarticular treatment of the tear. The labrum tear is responsible for a well-defined clinical presentation of hip dysplasia and precedes secondary arthrosis. Early diagnosis helps to define the time to perform reconstructive surgery. The treatment consists of improving the coverage and stability of the femoral head by means of a multiplanar peri-acetabular osteotomy. The osteotomy unloads the torn fibrocartilage and allows it to heal by moving it out of the weight-bearing area.

The purpose of this study was to determine if any differences existed in the early complication rate, short term clinical outcome, and total length of hospital stay between patients who had bilateral total hip arthroplasty performed under a single anesthetic (during 1 patient visit to the operating room) and patients who had the procedure performed under 2 anesthetics (during 2 patient visits to the operating room). Patients operated on bilaterally were divided into 3 groups: Group A (1 stage procedure)--hips that were operated on simultaneously (128 hips); Group B (2 stage procedure)--surgeries performed less than 6 weeks apart (126 hips); and Group C (2 stage procedure)--surgeries performed between 6 weeks and 6 months apart (256 hips). All patients were evaluated after an average followup of 1.5 years. There were no differences in operative, early local, or general complications among the 3 groups. In particular, no higher incidence of pulmonary embolism or deep vein thrombosis was found in the 1 stage group. Preoperatively, very stiff hips (total range of motion50 degrees) gained significantly more motion in the 1 stage group than in the 2 stage groups, whereas hips with better preoperative motion (total range of motion50 degrees) improved the most in Group B, without a significant difference occurring between Groups A and C. The degree of pain reduction was the same in all groups, but patients in the 1 stage group had a significantly better capacity for walking after their procedure. Average total hospital stay was 5 to 6 days less for the patients in Group A than those in the other groups, which, combined with using the operating room only once, resulted in a reduction of overall hospital costs by more than 30% when using the 1 stage procedure.

Major rim pathology is a precursor of osteoarthritis of the hip secondary to residual acetabular dysplasia. The symptoms are acute pain in the groin and impaired function; the anatomopathologic lesions consist in avulsions of the labrum from the bony rim, and separated bone fragments or "Os acetabuli", as well. A detailed radiographic, comparative inquiry to assess the preoperative morphology of 178 dysplastic hips which underwent a multiplanar periacetabular osteotomy was undertaken. The study showed that the 37 hips with a labral avulsion had a less pronounced anterior and lateral insufficiency of the acetabulum and a less pronounced lateral subluxation than dysplastic hips without these lesions. No specific radiologic features could be found in the 23 hips with bony fragments of the acetabular rim. The instability of the joint exerts abnormal stress on the acetabular rim which tends to tear it. This condition leads to rapid arthrotic degeneration of the hip; early diagnosis increases our ability to preserve the integrity of the joint through reliable reconstructive surgery.

Owing to gradual aging of the population, the incidence of osteoporosis-related fractures of the proximal femur has increased. Trochanteric fractures are encountered in more than 50% of hip fractures. In this study, a comparative epidemiological analysis of patients with trochanteric fractures treated in the orthopedic department of the university hospital of Berne was performed. The time period from 1972 to 1978 (group 1, n = 205), was compared with the period from 1981 to 1989 (group 2, n = 444). Group 2 experienced a significant age-related increase of the number of patients with trochanteric fractures in the age group 30-49 years (p0.0001) and a significant increase of the number of patients in the age group over 80 years (p0.0001). In group 2, the female/male ratio was 0.24/1 for patients aged 30-49 years, 0.88/1 in the age group 50-59 years, 0.92/1 and 2.47/1 for patients in the age groups 60-69 and 70-79 years, respectively, and 3.59/1 in individuals over 80 years of age. The increased incidence in older women with trochanteric fractures is related to a higher grade of osteoporosis and agrees with the findings in the literature. The marked increase in the incidence of fractures in young males could be due to a higher risk of high-energy trauma sustained in traffic accidents and sports. Another explanation is the increase of risk factors for early osteoporosis related to low-energy traumas over the past two decades. Overall, there was a tendency towards more complicated fracture types (AO classification) in group 2 than in group 1.

Injury to the acetabular triradiate physeal cartilage is a rare but potentially serious injury. When it occurs in young children acetabular growth may be delayed, leading to incongruency of the hip and subsequent subluxation. This series reviews 5 patients who sustained injury to the triradiate cartilage and subsequently developed acetabular dysplasia. The radiographic appearance of post-traumatic dysplasia is distinctly different than that of developmental dysplasia. In post-traumatic dysplasia the acetabular teardrop width and inner wall of the acetabulum is significantly increased with the femoral head being lateralized. Four patients have undergone acetabular reconstruction, with 3 patients having a periacetabular osteotomy and 1 having a Chiari osteotomy. The remaining patient with posttraumatic dysplasia has severe and symptomatic osteoarthritis and awaits a total hip replacement.

The efficiency of the M. E. Müller acetabular roof reinforcement ring is documented on 141 patients with 150 operated hips since 1976 with a minimal clinically and radiologically follow-up of 6 years. The metal backing of the cup prevented cranial migration and protrusion almost completely. After 1982, when a bone bank with frozen femoral heads was established, the loss of bone stock was replaced with allograft, which can be fixed sufficiently with the reinforcement ring. In revision arthroplasty with bone stock of poor quality and quantity the acetabular roof reinforcement ring is a good method to reconstruct the acetabulum.

Condylar buttress plates were applied in six patients with total knee arthroplasties and supracondylar fractures. According to the criteria of Cain, 50% of the patients had a satisfactory result with an average follow-up period of 17 months. Time to union (full weight bearing) averaged 14 weeks. The final coronal femorotibial alignment averaged 5 degrees of valgus, whereas preoperative valgus had averaged 8 degrees. Four patients were pain free and the two others had minimal pain that did not interfere with daily activity. Knee motion averaged 97 degrees. All patients were ambulating; five of six patients needed two crutches outdoors for reasons unrelated to the index fracture. Four patients had rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with multiple joint involvement, and the fifth was debilitated secondary to old age. No nonunion, loss of fixation, or infection occurred. Open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) using the condylar buttress plate provides stable fixation, allowing early knee motion and ambulation. If extreme osteoporosis is present, the addition of bone cement enhances screw fixation.

We have previously identified an endothelial cell membrane protein of Mr 45 kDa that binds plasminogen in a kringle-dependent, specific and reversible manner (Dudani et. al. (1991) Mol. Cell. Biochem. 108: 133–139). In this study, we have developed and optimized a protocol for the isolation of the 45 kDa plasminogen receptor from venous endothelial cells using a four step procedure consisting of lysis and detergent extraction followed by ligand affinity chromatography and preparative polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Control experiments were carried out using BSA-Sepharose instead of plasminogen-Sepharose as the affinity matrix. No plasminogen binding proteins were recovered from the former columns. However, a 45 kDa protein was recovered from lysine eluates of plasminogen-Sepharose. This material was then purified to homogeneity using preperative electrophoresis. Analyses of proteins at various steps in the purification by SDS-PAGE showed enrichment of a band of 45 kDa which superimposed with the observed binding activity of plasminogen in ligand blots. The above binding could be inhibited by excess lysine. The 45 kDa protein could be distinguished from alpha-enolase which also binds plasminogen by (i) significant differences in the profile of retention times of CNBr-degradation fragments on reversed phase HPLC; and (ii) partial peptide sequencing of one of the CNBr-degradation fragments of the 45 kDa protein. Moreover, the derived sequence did not show any significant homology to any protein in the Swiss Prot (release 20) database. We thus propose that the 45 kDa protein represents a novel plasminogen receptor on human venous endothelial cells.

The results after valgus osteotomy for delayed or nonunion in 20 patients with femoral neck fractures (9 Pauwels type II and 11 type III) and 10 intertrochanteric fractures are reported. The mean age of the patients at presentation with delayed/nonunion of femoral neck fractures and intertrochanteric fractures was 37.5 and 60 years, respectively. The average interval between injury and valgus osteotomy in the first and second group was 8 and 13 months, respectively. The average size of the preoperatively determined and intraoperatively removed wedge was 30 degrees in both groups. The results of the two fracture groups were analyzed separately. All but one osteotomy in a patient with a nonunion of a femoral neck fracture consolidated without complications. This case developed a nonunion at the osteotomy and required additional surgery consisting of bone graft and refixation to heal. Of the femoral neck delayed/nonunion cases, 15 (75%) healed immediately following valgus osteotomy. In the intertrochanteric delayed/nonunion patients, valgus osteotomy led directly to bone consolidation in 6 (60%). In each fracture group 3 additional cases healed following reoperation for a total consolidation rate of 90%. In the femoral neck group one union was complicated by infection, resulting in ankylosis of the hip and 3.5 years later another patient with a revascularized femoral head required total hip arthroplasty because of a large, loose osteochondral fragment. In two cases union of the former femoral neck fracture could not be achieved. Partial avascular necrosis determined the course and total hip arthroplasty was required for both cases.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Osteonecrosis of the femoral head is one of many well documented side effects of long term steroid (glucocorticoid) use. Studies have reported on the skeletal effects of short term, high dose steroid therapy. This paper illustrates that short term (up to 6 weeks), high dose steroid therapy, utilized in neurotraumatology or central nervous system disease, can lead to necrosis of bone at multiple sites. This retrospective review of 6 patients supports the 18 previously reported cases: there were 5 male and one female patient, with a mean age of 32.2 years. The patients received an average dose of 5100 mg methylprednisolone for 23 days. The average interval between steroid administration and the onset of symptoms was 28 months. There was radiographic evidence of osteonecrosis of both femoral heads in all 6 patients. The female patient also had osteonecrosis of both humeral heads and both femoral condyles. Five of twelve hip joints were healed by intertrochanteric osteotomy and revascularization. One patient underwent total hip replacement. We were unable to find risk factors in these 6 patients which would make them susceptible to belated osteonecrosis of the femoral head. It is reasonable to conclude that there is a substantial risk of osteonecrosis in patients treated with high dose steroids even on a short term basis.

Six cases of femoral neck-acetabular impingement following fracture of the femoral neck are reported. To our knowledge, this complication has not previously been described in the literature. A bony prominence at the level of the former fracture site following primary or secondary valgus position of the femoral head showed a conflict with the acetabular rim causing pain and limited motion. In four patients this impingement was posterior, between the femoral neck and the acetabulum in extension with external rotation, and in two patients it was anterior in flexion with internal rotation. A detailed description of the symptoms, diagnostic procedures and treatment options is presented.

Of 104 supra-/intercondylar femur fractures in adults (AO/ASIF Classification types A 1-3 and C 1-3), who were treated by open reduction and internal fixation from 1975 to 1985 59 fractures in 57 patients could be traced and reviewed clinically and radiographically after a mean follow-up period of 5 years and 7 months (range: 2-11 years). Among these, 47 knees/patients without preexisting knee-joint pathology were analyzed for the development of degenerative arthritis. The incidence for grade 2 and 3 changes in the femoropatellar compartment were 23% for supracondylar fractures (A type) and 62% for intercondylar lesions (C type). In the femorotibial compartment the incidence for supracondylar fractures was 38% and 23% for intercondylar fractures. In 93% of the patients the arthritic changes were radiographical findings, which did not cause relevant symptoms. The development of radiographical degenerative changes depends mainly on the type of the fracture; it is favoured by axial malalignment of more than 5 degrees of varus or valgus and local complications.

Severe post-traumatic deformities of the hip are most often treated by total joint replacement. However, in certain circumstances a joint-preserving approach is appropriate, especially in younger patients. There is minimal literature on this topic and the cases reported are few in number. In this paper we describe our experience with afflictions of the acetabulum, proximal femur and juxta-articular soft tissues where conservative procedures may best be employed. We include some new entities and their treatment options.

Fractures of the ipsilateral femur after hip arthroplasty are a serious problem. In most cases, minimal trauma is responsible for the fracture. Predisposing factors, such as severe osteoporosis, loosening of the stem of the prosthesis, or cortex perforations, are often found. Such fractures occurred between 1979 and 1989 in 30 patients, i.e. 2.3% of our patients who had received primary prosthesis and 2.9% of those who had undergone revision. The patients' ages at the time of fracture ranged from 41 to 88 years (mean 63 years), 33% of the patients in these group being female. The time lapse from implantation of the prosthesis to the fracture varied between 1 month and 11 years (mean 4.4 years). The fracture was at the level of the proximal trochanteric region in 3% of these patients, between the trochanteric line and the tip of the prosthesis in 20%, and below the tip of the prosthesis in 70%. Operative treatment was performed in 29 patients. Fractures were fixed with a compression plate in 19 (63%), and in 3 the plate fixation was reinforced with intramedullary cement. In 2 osteoporotic patients with supracondylar fractures the osteosynthesis ruptured and a successful revision operation with cement was performed. In 3 others internal fixation was combined with replacement of the prosthesis; 3 patients received a Wagner revision prosthesis and 1 a long-stem Protek tumor prosthesis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Operative treatment of fractures in osteoporotic bone using standard techniques such as are applied in normal bone leads to special problems. The major difficulty is the limited anchorage of any implant in osteoporotic bone. To improve the stability of an implant in osteoporotic bone the following techniques are applicable, either singly or in combination: impaction, long-distance splinting, large-area surface buttressing, osteotomy, and the use of bone cement as a spacer and to improve the purchase of screws. The different techniques are discussed and examples of their application are presented.

The concept of the Pauwels osteotomy seems to be a valuable method of treating nonunions of the femoral neck. If there is concomitant avascular necrosis, the involved area should be small and the patient younger than 60 years old.

Osteotomy and revascularization have both been used for many years in the therapy of partial aseptic necrosis of the femoral head in the adult. We first attempted a combination of the two techniques in 1978. Stress on the necrotic sector was relieved by intertrochanteric osteotomy, and the necrotic part of the bone was revascularized with a pedicled iliac crest bone graft based on the deep circumflex iliac vessels. Long-term results are now available in 45 hips in 38 patients, with a mean follow-up time of 32 months. Clinically, 71% of the hips were rated very good or good, and among those classed as stage II before surgery the results were rated as very good or good in as many as 90%. Subjective evaluation of the hips by the patients confirmed these results: 85% of the hips were judged to be optimal or markedly improved compared with before operation. Radiological evaluation showed further flattening of the femoral head in one case. A segmental collapse of the femoral head, i.e. stage III lesion according to Ficat, occurred in 2 hips with stage II preoperatively. In 6 hips with stage III necrosis preoperatively secondary arthritis developed. Computerized tomograms taken of all 25 hips from which metal implants had been removed showed signs of integration of the graft in 68%. Scintigraphy with 99-Tc-diphosphonate showed a homogeneous uptake in 42.8% and a non-homogeneous uptake in the remaining 57.2% of the cases. So-called photopenia was not observed in any of the hip joints treated.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

63 slipped capital femoral epiphysis were treated either by a femoral neck osteotomy or by an intertrochanteric osteotomy. In almost all cases a normal anatomical relationship of the proximal capital femoral epiphysis to the neck of the femur was achieved. At an average follow-up of 10 years (2 to 19 years) 90% were rated good to excellent clinically. In 33 hips with a follow-up period of more than 10 years mild degenerative arthritis was present in 36%. Slipping of 60 degrees or less is best treated by an intertrochanteric osteotomy to avoid the higher complication rate in the femoral neck osteotomy.

A new technique to plan and perform a reorientation pelvic osteotomy around the hip joint in adolescents and adults is described. Planning is based on 3-dimensional reconstruction of the hip joint. The operation is simulated by computer before surgery to find the correction angles which optimize alignment both quantitatively (amount of femoral head covered) as well as qualitatively (joint congruency). These angles are then utilized at the time of surgery. A Smith-Petersen approach is always used to perform the osteotomy. The pelvic ring is not displaced, but nevertheless the acetabular fragment can be tilted without limitation around all 3 axes. Furthermore, linear displacement permits medialization of a lateralized hip joint. Stability is obtained by simple screw fixation. The posterior column remains mechanically intact, and thus no cast is required. Since 1984, about 200 peri-acetabular osteotomies have been performed. The success of correction was evaluated on plain radiographs using A P and "false profile" views as well as by CT. Conventional radiographs showed fully normalized VCE (Wiberg) and VCA (de Sèze and Lequesne) angles and well-centered joints on the CT-based reconstructions. Four types of complications occurred: there were 2 cases with intra articular extension of the osteotomy; 1 transient femoral neuropraxia; 2 non-unions and 4 cases with ectopic ossifications which limited motion of the joint. The latter problem appear to have been eliminated by the administration of prophylactic indomethacin. Symptomatic fixation screws had to be removed after union in 13 cases.

An unstable pelvic ring injury was stabilized with the AO C-clamp in thirty multiply injured patients. The average ISS was 29 (19-57). Transfusions totalled 24 units of blood/fresh frozen plasma/platelets (0-117) on average. In 12 cases, the application was for an unstable fracture alone, in 18 patients there was an unstable haemodynamic situation in addition. The application was haemodynamically effective in 10 cases. In 66% of cases, the initial reduction was good and the anatomy of the pelvic ring was adequately restored. Ten patients (33%) died; five during the first hours after admission due to haemorrhagic shock; the remaining five from multiple organ failure, fat embolism and head injury. Definitive stabilization was accomplished after 4.5 days on average (0-15). Complications relating directly to the clamp did not occur. The application of the C-clamp has a clear place in the management of polytraumatized patients with linear unstable pelvic ring injuries.

The Müller acetabular reinforcement ring has proven very useful, especially in total hip revision when the bone of the acetabulum is of poor quality or deficient. However, the acetabular reinforcement ring may also be indicated in primary total hip replacement, especially in the case of poor quality bone in the acetabular bone stock, e.g. in chronic polyarthritis or protrusio acetabuli, or of deficient morphology of the acetabulum, e.g. in hip dysplasia. We analysed the results recorded in 145 patients operated on between 1977 and April 1983. Each of these patients had received a total hip prosthesis for the first time, with the polyethylene cup supplemented by an acetabular reinforcement ring. This patient group cannot be compared with the usual patient populations reported on in connection with primary hip replacement, since most of our 145 patients had several risk factors and had undergone previous surgery on up to seven occasions on the hip ultimately replaced by a prosthesis. Radiological analysis did not show a significant correlation between malposition of the acetabular reinforcement ring and signs of loosening, except when the acetabular component had been implanted in a most atypical manner. The infection rate was 4.8%, but it must be borne in mind that from 1977 to 1983 there was no routine prophylaxis with antibiotics. The incidence of aseptic loosening of the acetabular reinforcement ring necessitating revision was 0.7% after a mean follow-up of 7.7 years (range 5.5-11 years).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

A 25-year-old patient was treated for a malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the elbow which appeared 6 3/4 years after a severe injury at this site. The reasons for assumption of a causal relationship between the trauma and tumor development are discussed.