OSTEOLYSIS AFTER PRIMARY THA USING FIRST-GENERATION XLPE: ANALYSIS USING 3D CT SCAN AT MINIMUM TEN-YEAR FOLLOW-UP

Background/PurposeCross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) has shown reduced wear rates as compared to conventional polyethylene, but the long-term effect of this on the incidence of osteolysis remains unclear. In addition, the measurement of osteolysis on plain radiographs can underestimate the incidence and extent of osteolysis. Therefore, we evaluated the wear rate, incidence and volume of osteolysis at a minimum follow-up of ten years using three-dimensional computed tomography (3-D CT), a more accurate and sensitive method for detecting and measuring the size of osteolysis than plain radiographs.Materials and MethodsBetween 2000 and 2004, 233 primary THAs were performed using 28-mm cobalt-chrome femoral head on first-generation XLPE (Longevity®, Zimmer, Warsaw, IN) with cups of identical design. Fifty-five patients (57 hips) deceased, eight patients (8 hips) were lost and four patients (4 hips) were revised due to recurrent dislocation (2 hips) or infection (2 hips). Among the remaining 164 hips, 95 hips und...