Purpose: A staged revision with placement of a temporary antibiotic-loaded cement spacer after removal of the implant is the “gold standard” for treatment of chronic prosthetic joint infection (PJI). It enables local delivery of antibiotics, maintenance of limb-length and mobility, easier reimplantation. However, bacterial colonization of spacers and mechanical complications can also occur. The aim of this study is to evaluate functional results and infection control in two-stage treatment of total hip arthroplasty (THA) PJI with and without a spacer.
Materials and Methods: A retrospective review of 64 consecutive patients was conducted: 34 underwent twostage revision using a cement spacer (group A), 30 underwent two-stage revision without a spacer (group B). At the final follow-up, functional evaluation of patients with a THA in site, without PJI recurrence, was performed using the Harris hip score (HHS). Measurement of limb-length and off-set discrepancies was performed using anteroposterior pelvic X-rays.
Results: Most patients in group B were older with more comorbidities preoperatively. Thirty-three patients (97.1%) in group A underwent THA reimplantation versus 22 patients (73.3%) in group B (P<0.001). No significant differences in limb-length and off-set were observed. The results of functional evaluation performed during the final follow-up (mean, 41 months) showed better function in patients in group A (mean HHS, 76.3 vs. 55.9; P<0.001).
Conclusion: The use of antibiotic-loaded cement spacer seems superior in terms of functional outcomes and reimplantation rate. Resection arthroplasty might be reserved as a first-stage procedure in patients who are unfit, who might benefit from a definitive procedure.

Purpose: Total hip arthroplasty (THA) using the direct anterior approach (DAA) is known to have a learning curve. The purpose of this study was to review cases where surgery was performed by an arthroplasty surgeon transitioning from the posterior approach (PA) to the DAA. We hypothesized similar complication rates and improvements in surgical duration over time.
Materials and Methods: A review of 2,452 consecutive primary THAs was conducted. Surgical duration, length of stay (LOS), surgical complications, decrease in postoperative day (POD) 1 hemoglobin, transfusion rates, POD 0 and POD 1 pain scores, incision length, leg length discrepancy (LLD), and radiographic cup position were recorded.
Results: No differences in surgical duration were observed after the first 50 DAA cases. A shorter LOS was observed for the DAA, and statistical difference was appreciated after the first 100 DAA cases. There were no differences in periprosthetic fractures. A higher rate of infections and hip dislocations were observed with the PA. The PA showed an association with higher transfusion rates without significant difference in POD 1 decrease in hemoglobin over the first 100 DAA cases. Similar POD 0 and POD 1 pain scores with a smaller incision were observed for the first 100 DAA cases. The DAA cohort showed less variation in cup inclination, version, and LLD.
Conclusion: DAA is safe and non-inferior in terms of reduced LOS, smaller incision, and less variation in cup position. Fifty DAA cases was noted to be the learning curve required before no differences in duration between approaches were observed.

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, a well-established opportunistic bacterium, primarily impacts healthcare settings. Infection of the musculoskeletal system with this bacterium is rare. We report on the first known case of hip periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) caused by S. maltophilia. The potential for development of a PJI caused by this pathogen should be considered by orthopaedic surgeons, particularly in patients with multiple severe comorbidities.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the clinical outcomes and efficacy of hip resurfacing arthroplasty (HRA) in patients with osteonecrosis of the femoral head after the failure of porous tantalum rod insertion without rod removal.
Materials and Methods: Conversion to hip resurfacing arthroplasty was performed in 10 patients (11 hips) with a mean period of 14.9 months after the primary surgery. The mean follow-up period was 73.7 months. Analysis of pre and postoperative range of motion (ROM), University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) activity score, modified Harris hip score, and visual analog scale (VAS) pain score was performed. Radiographic analysis of component loosening and osteolysis was performed.
Results: The postoperative ROM showed significant improvement (P<0.05), excluding flexion contracture. The modified Harris hip score showed improvement from 65.82 to 96.18, the UCLA score showed improvement from 4.18 to 8.00, and the VAS pain score was reduced from 6.09 to 1.80. All scores showed statistically significant improvement (P<0.05). No component loosening or osteolysis was detected by radiographic analysis.
Conclusion: Satisfactory results were obtained from conversion hip resurfacing arthroplasty after failure of porous tantalum rod insertion without rod removal. The findings of this study demonstrate the advantages of HRA, including no risk of trochanteric fracture and no bone loss around the tantalum rod. In addition, the remaining porous tantalum rod provided mechanical support, which reduced the potential risk of femoral neck fracture or loosening. This technique can be regarded as a favorable treatment option.

Purpose: The most recent diagnostic criteria for periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) include the use of the alpha-defensin (AD) lateral-flow (LF) test, but hip and knee arthroplasties were usually combined in previous studies. This prospective study was designed to examine the accuracy of the AD-LF test for diagnosis of PJI in chronic painful total hip arthroplasties (THA).
Materials and Methods: Patients with chronic painful hip arthroplasties were prospectively enrolled between March 2018 and May 2020. Exclusion criteria included acute PJI or an insufficient amount of synovial fluid. The modified Musculoskeletal Infection Society (MSIS) criteria were primarily used for PJI diagnosis. Fifty-seven patients were included in the analysis group. Revision surgery was not performed in 38 patients, for different reasons (clinical group); these patients remain “Schrödinger’s hips”: in such cases PJI cannot be excluded nor confirmed until you “open the box”.
Results: The result of the AD-LF test was positive in nine patients and negative in 48 patients. Six patients were diagnosed with PJI. AD-LF sensitivity (MSIS criteria) was 83% (95% confidence interval [CI] 36-100%) and specificity was 92% (95% CI 81-98%). The positive and negative predictive value were 56% and 98%, respectively.
Conclusion: The AD test is useful in addition to the existing arsenal of diagnostic tools, and can be helpful in the decision-making process. Not all patients with chronical painful THA will undergo revision surgery. Consequently, in order to determine the reliable diagnostic accuracy of this test, future PJI diagnostic studies should include a second arm of “Schrödinger’s hips”.

Purpose: We report on the 10-year clinical hip function and radiologic outcomes of patients who underwent hip arthroplasty using a COREN stem.
Materials and Methods: A consecutive series of 224 primary cementless hip arthroplasty implantations were performed using a COREN stem between 2009 and 2011; among these, evaluation of 128 hips was performed during a minimum follow-up period of 10 years. The mean age of patients was 65.4 years (range, 40-82 years) and the mean duration of follow-up was 10.8 years (range, 10-12 years). Evaluation of clinical hip function and radiologic implant outcomes was performed according to clinical score, thigh pain, and radiologic analysis.
Results: Dramatic improvement of the mean Harris hip score (HHS) from 59.4 preoperatively to 93.5 was observed at the final follow-up (P≤0.01). Stable fixation was demonstrated for all implants with no change in position except for one case of Vancouver type B2 periprosthetic femur fracture. A radiolucent line (RLL) was observed in 16 hips (12.5%). Thigh pain was observed in only two hips (1.6%) at the final follow-up. There were no cases of osteolysis around the stem. The survival rate for the COREN stem was 97.7%.
Conclusion: Good long-term survival with excellent clinical and radiological outcomes can be achieved using the COREN femoral stem regardless of Dorr type.

Purpose: A variety of short Exeter stems designed specifically for use in performance of total hip arthroplasty (THA) in primary and revision settings have recently been introduced. Some have been used ‘off label’ for hip reconstruction. The aim of this study is to report clinical and radiological results from the Exeter V40 125 mm stem in performance of primary THA and revision THA.
Materials and Methods: This study had a retrospective design. Insertion of 58 (24 primary, 34 revision) Exeter V40 125 mm stems was performed between 2015 and 2017. The minimum follow-up period was two years. Assessment of the Oxford hip score (OHS), EuroQol-5 Dimension (EQ-5D), and radiological follow-up was performed at one and two years.
Results: In the primary group, the preoperative, mean OHS was 13.29. The mean OHS was 32.86 and 23.39 at one-year and two-year post-surgery, respectively. The mean EQ-5D-3L scores were at 0.14, 0.59, and 0.35, preoperatively, at one-year follow-up and two-year follow-up, respectively. In the revision group, the mean preoperative OHS was 19.41. The mean OHS was 30.55 and 26.05 at one-year and two-year post-surgery, respectively. The mean EQ-5D-3L scores were 0.33, 0.61, and 0.48 preoperatively, at one-year follow-up and two-year follow- up, respectively. No progressive or new radiolucent lines were observed around any stem at the time of the final follow-up in all patients in both groups.
Conclusion: Encouraging results regarding use of Exeter V40 125 mm stems have been reported up to two years following surgery in primary and revision THA settings.

A fracture of the affected extremity in patients with Klippel–Trenaunay–Weber syndrome can be fatal due to massive bleeding and show poor results. A 42-year-old male presented with an old fracture of the right femoral shaft with metal failure. We planned an operation to remove the previously fixed plate and to perform re-fixation using an intra-medullary nail. Preoperative angiography was performed and the arteriovenous malformations were embolized in order to reduce the risk of bleeding. After angiography, the previously fixed plate was removed. After the operation, a second angiography was performed immediately and the venous malformation was embolized. One week after the first operation, a second operation was performed in order to reduce the fracture and to perform re-fixation using an intramedullary nail. The patient is being followed without major complication over a period of seven years after surgery. We recommend careful planning of preoperative and postoperative angiography and embolization in order to reduce the risk of bleeding in patients with Klippel–Trenaunay–Weber syndrome.