Explore the vast range of titles available.

Background Management of osteonecrosis of the femoral head remains challenging. Core decompression and free vascularized fibular grafting are commonly used surgical procedures for treatment of osteonecrosis of the femoral head. Few studies, however, have compared these two procedures in a randomized controlled study, in terms of improved vascularity of the femoral head, progression of disease, or hip scores. Question/purposes (1) What is the effect of core decompression and fibular grafting on vascularity of the femoral head as measured by single-photon emission CT (SPECT)/CT? (2) Does one of these two methods lead to greater progression of Association Research Circulation Osseous (ARCO) stage as determined by serial MRI? (3) What is the relationship between the change in vascularity of the femoral head and hip function as measured by the Harris hip score (HHS) and progression to THA as an endpoint? Methods A randomized controlled trial was performed between June 2010 and October 2012 at Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University. During the study period, 51 patients who presented with ARCO Stages I to IIIB bilateral osteonecrosis were potentially eligible for inclusion, and 33 patients were identified as meeting the inclusion criteria and offered enrollment and randomization. Six patients declined to participate at the time of randomization, leaving a final sample of 27 participants (54 hips). Bilateral hips of each patient were randomly assigned to surgical options: one side was treated with core decompression and the contralateral side was concurrently treated with fibular grafting. SPECT/CT examinations were performed to quantify radionuclide uptake to evaluate vascularity of the femoral head before treatment and at 6 and 36 months after surgery. With the numbers available, we found no differences between the groups regarding vascularity at baseline (64% ± 8% core decompression-treated hips versus 64% ± 7% in the fibular-grafted hips; 95% CI, −5% to 5%; p = 0.90). MR images of the hips were obtained before surgery and at 6, 12, 24, and 36 months postoperatively and staged based on the ARCO classification. All patients were assessed clinically before treatment and followed up at 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, and 36 months after treatment using the HHS. We considered a difference in the HHS of 10 as the minimal clinically important difference (MCID). Patient progression to THA was defined as the endpoint for followup. Six patients (22%) were lost to followup. Results By SPECT/CT analysis, decompression-treated hips had lower vascularity than fibular-grafted hips at 6 months (68 % ± 6% versus 95% ± 5%; mean difference, −27%; 95% CI, −32% to −23%; p < 0.001) and 36 months (57% ± 4% versus 91% ± 3%; mean difference, −34%; 95% CI, −37% to −32%; p < 0.001). MRI analysis showed no differences between decompression-treated hips and fibular-grafted hips regarding ARCO stage at 12 months (p = 0.306) and 24 months (p = 0.06). Progression of ARCO staging was more severe in the decompression group than the fibular grafting group at 36 months (p = 0.027). The mean HHS was lower in the decompression group than in the fibular grafting group throughout the followup period, although these differences were at or below the MCID of 10 points early on. However, by 18 months, the scores favored fibular grafting (72 ± 4 versus 84 ± 4; mean difference, −13; 95% CI, −15 to −7; p < 0.001), a finding that was maintained at 24, 30, and 36 months. We found no differences between decompression-treated hips and fibular-grafted hips regarding progression to THA at 36 months (two of 21; p = 0.893). Conclusions Hips that underwent a vascularized fibular grafting procedure fared better than hips receiving core decompression as measured by improved vascularity and less progression of osteonecrosis as measured by ARCO staging. The mean HHS of the fibular-grafted hips was better than that of the decompression-treated hips during the entire postoperative period, but the differences were modest early on, and for the early postoperative period the differences were unlikely to have been clinically important; by 18 months after surgery, the differences probably were clinically important. The mid-term outcomes associated with vascularized fibular grafting seen in our patients are associated with improvements in femoral head vascularity and the potential for bone revitalization. Level of Evidence Level I, therapeutic study.

Background Because the clinical and radiographic performance of an ultrashort anatomic cementless stem has been investigated in only two randomized controlled studies, well-designed trials should aim for a thorough comparison of the outcomes of ultrashort anatomic cementless and conventional anatomic cementless stems. Questions/purposes The purposes of this study were to compare (1) the clinical results, including Harris hip score, thigh pain, and WOMAC index score, (2) radiographic results, (3) bone mineral density; and (4) proportions of patients undergoing revision of a THA using an ultrashort anatomic cementless stem versus a conventional anatomic cementless stem in the same patients who underwent bilateral sequential THAs under the same anesthetic. Methods Two hundred patients (mean age, 53 years; range, 26–54 years) who underwent bilateral sequential THAs received an ultrashort anatomic cementless stem in one hip and a conventional anatomic cementless stem in the contralateral hip. From January 2004 to December 2005, we performed 524 same-day bilateral short and conventional anatomic cementless THAs in 262 patients, of whom 212 (81%) participated in this study. Five patients were lost to followup before 2 years, five were lost between 2 to 10 years, and two were lost between 10 to 13 years, leaving 200 patients. Patients who had end-stage bilateral hip disease and were younger than 55 years were selected for inclusion. The predominant diagnoses were osteonecrosis (118 patients, 59%) and osteoarthritis (44 patients, 22%). One hundred thirty-eight were men and 62 were women. At the time of each followup, the patients were assessed clinically and radiographically. In addition, each patient completed the WOMAC and the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) activity scores. The minimum followup was 10 years (mean, 11.8 years; range, 10–13 years). Followups were done in person, with all images and followup clinic notes. Based on the power analysis, we estimated a sample size of 178 hips was needed in each group to detect a 3-point difference in the Harris hip score with 80% power. Results At the latest followup, there were no differences between the two groups regarding the mean Harris hip scores (94 versus 94 points; p = 0.189), mean WOMAC scores (17 versus 16 points; p = 0.191), or mean UCLA activity scores (9 versus 9 points; p = 0.381). Two patients in the ultrashort stem group and one patient in the conventional stem group had severe (9 points) thigh pain, and 30 patients (15%) in the conventional stem group had mild thigh pain (2 or 3 points) after vigorous exercise. Bone mineral density in the ultrashort and conventional stem groups, respectively, was greater in the ultrashort stem group than in the conventional stem group. Bone mineral density in Zone 1 at 12 years was 3.29 versus 1.88 g/cm 2 (p = 0.021), and 2.97 versus 0.91 g/m 2 in Zone 7 (p = 0.001). With the numbers available, there were no differences between the stem designs in terms of the proportion undergoing revision (one hip, 0.5%, in the short-stem group versus one hip, 0.5%, in the conventional group; p = 1.881). Conclusions At followup into the second decade, ultrashort stems showed no differences from conventional cementless stems in terms of validated outcomes scores or fixation, although less stress shielding was observed. Reduction of stress shielding may reduce the long-term risk of periprosthetic fracture, but this was not shown in our study. Level of Evidence Level I, therapeutic study.

Background Computer-assisted surgery (CAS) for cup placement has been developed to improve the functional results and to reduce the dislocation rate and wear after total hip arthroplasty (THA). Previously published studies demonstrated radiographic benefits of CAS in terms of implant position, but whether these improvements result in clinically important differences that patients might perceive remains largely unknown. Questions/purposes We hypothesized that THA performed with CAS would improve 10-year patient-reported outcomes measured by validated scoring tools, reduce acetabular polyethylene wear as measured using a validated radiological method, and increase survivorship. Methods Sixty patients operated on for a THA between April 2004 and April 2005 were randomized into two groups using either the CAS technique or a conventional technique for cup placement. All patient candidates for a THA with the diagnosis of primary arthritis or avascular necrosis were eligible for the CAS procedure and randomly assigned to the CAS group by the Hospital Informatics Department with use of a systematic sampling method. The patients assigned to the freehand cup placement group were matched for sex, age within 5 years, pathological condition, operatively treated side, and body mass index within 3 points. All patients were operated on through an anterolateral approach (patient in the supine position) using cementless implants. In the CAS group, a specific surgical procedure using an imageless cup positioning computer-based navigation system was performed. There were 16 men and 14 women in each group; mean age was 62 years (range, 24–80 years), and mean body mass index was 25 ± 3 kg/m 2 . No patient was lost to followup at 10 years, but five patients have died (two in the CAS group and three in the control group). At the 10-year followup, an independent observer blinded to the type of technique performed patients’ evaluation. Cup positioning was evaluated postoperatively using a CT scan in the two groups with results previously published. At 10 years, we assessed subjective functional outcome and quality of life using validated questionnaires (SF-12, Harris hip score [HHS], Hip injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score). Wear rate was then evaluated on standardized radiographs using a previously validated semiautomated computer analogic measurement method (dual circle method). Complications and survivorship were compared between groups. With our available sample size, this study had 80% power to detect a difference of 4 points out of 100 on the HHS at the p < 0.05 level. Results With the numbers available, we found we found no differences between groups regarding HSS at last followup 95.3 ± 5.9 points (CAS group) versus 96.2 ± 4.5 points, a mean difference of 0.9 points (95% confidence interval [CI], −4.3 to 4.6; p = 0.6). There was no difference between the groups in terms of the mean (± SD) acetabular linear wear at 10 years. The mean wear was 0.71 ± 0.6 mm in the CAS group versus 0.77 ± 0.52 mm in the control group, a mean difference of 0.06 mm (95% CI, −0.1 to 0.2; p = 0.54). With the numbers available, there was no difference between the CAS group and the conventional THA groups in terms of survivorship free from aseptic loosening (100%; 95% CI, 100%–95%, versus 100%; 95% CI, 100%–94%; p = 0.3). Conclusions Our observations suggest that CAS used for cup placement does not confer any substantial advantage in function, wear rate, or survivorship at 10 years after THA. Because CAS is associated with added costs and surgical time, future studies need to identify what clinically relevant advantages it offers, if any, to justify its continued use in THA. Level of Evidence Level II, therapeutic study.

Purpose The purpose of our study is to describe the rationale, the surgical technique and the early clinical and radiographic results of the treatment of patients with early stage osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) by performing: core decompression, injection of autologous bone marrow concentrate and the use of a new composite injectable bone substitute (PRO-DENSE ® ), as a mechanical supplementation associated with decompression. Methods The study included 37 hips (31 patients, 14 females, 17 males; mean age 43.9 years, range 24–56 years) with stages IC–IIIA ONFH. The outcome was determined by the changes in the Harris hip score (HHS), by progression in radiographic stages and by the need for hip replacement. The mean follow-up was 20.6 months (range 12–32 months). Results At final follow-up the mean HHS increased from 68 points pre-operatively to 86 points post-operatively. The radiological results showed that 29 hips (78.4  %) improved or had no further collapse. The overall clinical success rate of the procedure was 86.5 %, with three conversions to THA, and a failure rate of only 3.3 % in the pre-collapse group. Conclusions We are encouraged by these early results using core decompression, injection of the autologous bone marrow concentrate and backfilling the defect with an injectable bioceramic for the treatment of early stages of ONFH; as far as a conclusion can be drawn from the current data, this treatment seems to relieve hip pain and prevent the progression of ONFH in the majority of the cases.

Background Treatment for osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) in young individuals remains controversial. We developed a lantern-shaped screw, which was designed to provide mechanical support for the femoral head to prevent its collapse, for the treatment of ONFH. The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of the lantern-shaped screw loaded with autologous bone for the treatment of pre-collapse stages of ONFH. Methods Thirty-two patients were randomly divided into two groups: the lantern-shaped screw group (core decompression and lantern-shaped screw loaded with autogenous bone) and the control group (core decompression and autogenous bone graft). During 36 months follow-up after surgery, treatment results in patients were assessed by X-ray and computed tomography (CT) scanning as well as functional recovery Harris hip score (HHS). Results Successful clinical results were achieved in 15 of 16 hips (94%) in the lantern-shaped screw group compared with 10 of 16 hips (63%) in the control group ( p  = 0.0325). Successful radiological results were achieved in 14 of 16 hips (88%) in the lantern-shaped screw group compared with 8 of 16 hips (50%) in the control group ( P  = 0.0221). Conclusion The lantern-shaped screw loaded with autologous bone for the treatment of pre-collapse stages of ONFH is effective and results in preventing progression of ONFH and reducing the risk of femoral head collapse. Trial registration The trial registration number: ChiCTR-TRC-13004078 (retrospectively registered at 2013-11-28).

Background The conventional method of core decompression combined with porous bioceramics rod is usually performed under C-arm fluoroscopy for the treatment of early osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH). This study was to evaluate the clinical value and efficacy of three-dimensional (3D) printing guide plate in the process of core decompression plus porous bioceramics rod for the treatment of early ONFH. Methods Forty patients were enrolled, including 20 patients undergoing the surgery with 3D printing guide plate in the experiment group and 20 controls with C-arm fluoroscopy. The following parameters such as surgery time, blood loss, fluoroscopy times, and the accuracy of core decompression for necrosis area, function outcome according to Harris Hip Score (HHS), and any possible complications were recorded and compared between the two groups. All the patients were followed up at 6, 12, and 18 months postoperatively. Results The surgery time, fluoroscopy time, and intraoperative blood loss in the experiment group was significantly less ( P  < 0.05) than those in the control group. There was no statistical significance in the accuracy of core decompression and porous bioceramics rod placement between the two groups ( P  > 0.05). All patients were followed up for 18 months. There was a significant difference between the preoperative and final follow-up HSS scores in both groups ( P  < 0.05). In addition, there was also a significant difference between the groups in the last follow-up HSS scores ( P  < 0.05). Conclusions Compared with the traditional method, 3D printing guide plate could shorten the surgery time and fluoroscopy times and decrease intraoperative blood loss. It seems to be an effective method in the combined core decompression with porous bioceramics rod placement for early ONFH.

Background Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is an immune-mediated acquired disease that is characterized by a decrease in the platelet count and an increased risk of bleeding. There is little information in the literature about the results of major joint replacement surgery in patients with ITP. The aim of this study was to report on the results of total hip arthroplasty (THA) in patients with primary ITP. Methods We retrospectively identified 15 THAs performed in 11 patients with primary ITP. The study group was matched (1:2) to a non-ITP control group of 30 THAs in 22 patients. According to the perioperative hematologic evaluation, blood management interventions were performed. All procedures were performed by a single surgeon and all patients received cementless components with ceramic-on-ceramic bearing. Mean duration of follow-up was 7.1 years (range, 2–13). Results No significant differences were found between the two groups with regard to mean operative time, intraoperative blood loss, amount of closed suction drainage, length of hospital stay, and readmission rate. However, the proportion of patients requiring transfusion of packed red blood cells and/or platelet concentrate was higher in the ITP group when compared to the non-ITP group. Mean Harris hip score improved from 49.5 points preoperatively to 93.4 points at the final follow-up and no hips were revised for loosening or osteolysis in the ITP group. No significant differences were found between the two groups with respect to mean postoperative Harris hip scores and complication rates. Conclusions Our study showed encouraging clinical and radiographic results of THA in patients with ITP without increased risk of adverse events compared to those in patients without ITP. On the basis of these findings, we suggest that modern cementless THA might be a viable treatment for achieving functional improvement in patients with ITP and end-stage hip disease.

Computed tomography (CT) Hounsfield Units (HU) offer valuable insights into the changes in bone and soft tissue densities, playing a crucial role in the diagnosis and management of various proximal femur conditions. This systematic review aims to consolidate the application of HU in assessing tissue quality in the proximal femur, with a special focus on osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) and implications for total hip arthroplasty (THA), thereby addressing unresolved issues in these areas. We conducted a comprehensive literature search on MEDLINE/PubMed, EMBASE, Google Scholar, SpringerLink, Scops, Web of Science, and Bentham Science Publishers from inception to January 2024, following the PRISMA guidelines, to retrieve all studies relevant to the application of HU in assessing both bone and soft tissue quality of the proximal femur, particularly in the context of ONFH and THA. We systematically evaluated the key findings extracted from the included articles. This systematic review included a total of 58 studies, involving 15,668 patients. The sample sizes ranged from 50 to 685, with the CT slice thickness varying from 0.5 mm to 10 mm. The results mainly focused on three areas: (1) the relationship between HU and the density of proximal femoral tissues (n = 33); (2) the assessment of HU in predicting the risk of femoral head collapse (n = 10); (3) the application of HU during the perioperative period of THA (n = 15). (1) HU can effectively contribute to the evaluation of bone and soft tissue densities in the proximal femur, and reflect local stress changes. (2) In ONFH patients, bone density does not decrease in the necrotic area of the femoral head before collapse. However, abnormally elevated HU at the outer boundary of the necrotic lesion are significant in assessing collapse risk. (3) HU can be used to preoperatively assess hip bone quality for THA, guide surgical approaches, predict intraoperative fractures, monitor postoperative bone ingrowth or absorption, identify and quantitatively evaluate periprosthetic loosening, and guide postoperative rehabilitation.

Objective The presence of bone marrow edema on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in pre-collapse osteonecrosis of the femoral head is suggested to be a sign of occult subchondral fracture; however, to our knowledge, there are no histopathological studies verifying this. This study aimed to histopathologically verify the presence of subchondral fracture at the lateral necrotic boundary in symptomatic pre-collapse osteonecrosis of the femoral head with bone marrow edema on MRI. Materials and methods Of 149 consecutive necrotic femoral heads resected during total hip arthroplasty at our hospital from January 2019 to June 2024, we included 13 femoral heads that did not show apparent collapse on preoperative radiographs and exhibited bone marrow edema on MRI. Continuous coronal-slice hematoxylin and eosin-stained specimens of each femoral head were examined for the presence of subchondral fracture. Bone microarchitectures around subchondral fractures were measured using micro-computed tomography (CT) images. Results In all femoral heads, subchondral fractures were histopathologically confirmed at the lateral junction between the reparative and the necrotic zone. On micro-CT, bone volume fraction, trabecular thickness, and bone mineral density of the reparative zone adjacent to the subchondral fracture were all significantly higher than those of the necrotic zone adjacent to the subchondral fracture. Conclusion Subchondral fracture invariably existed when bone marrow edema was present on MRI during pre-collapse osteonecrosis of the femoral head. When bone marrow edema is observed on MRI, it should be known that subchondral fracture has already occurred, even if femoral head collapse is unclear on radiographs.

Recent studies have suggested that exosomes exert similar therapeutic effects to those of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in regenerative medicine and MSCs-derived exosomes exhibit therapeutic effects on steroid-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH). Furthermore, reparative functions of exosomes from MSCs are enhanced by hypoxia treatment of the cells. However, there are no related reports about whether exosomes derived from hypoxia-preconditioned MSCs could show better therapeutic effects on steroid-induced ONFH. In vitro, we investigated the effects of hypoxia precondition on exosomes derived from bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs) from rats and the proangiogenic ability of exosomes derived from hypoxia-preconditioned BMMSCs. In vivo, we investigated the role of exosomes from hypoxia-preconditioned BMMSCs on angiogenesis and protecting osteonecrosis in a rat ONFH model. We found that the potential of the proangiogenic ability of exosomes derived from hypoxia-preconditioned BMMSCs was higher than exosomes derived from BMMSCs cultured under normoxia. Exosomes derived from hypoxia-preconditioned BMMSCs significantly promoted proliferation, migration, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression, and tube formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) compared with exosomes derived from BMMSCs cultured under normoxia. Administration of exosomes derived from hypoxia-preconditioned BMMSCs significantly prevented bone loss and increased vessel volume in the femoral head compared with exosomes derived from BMMSCs cultured under normoxia. Taken together, our data suggest that exosomes derived from hypoxia-preconditioned BMMSCs exert better therapeutic effects on steroid-induced ONFH by promoting angiogenesis and preventing bone loss.