title: Poor reproducibility in radiographic grading of femoral cementing technique in total hip arthroplasty.
abstract: The first study of the reproducibility of a widely accepted grading system for femoral cementation in total hip arthroplasty is reported. Sixty postoperative radiographs were graded on two occasions at least 2 weeks apart by two experienced observers. The test-retest reproducibility rate was 60% for observer 1 and 70% for observer 2. The interobserver reproducibility varied between 60 and 63% for the different assessments. Between 5 and 6% of cases differed by more than one grade between tests. Kappa statistical analysis confirmed that reproducibility was poor in all cases. This cement grading system, even in the hands of experienced observers, has too high a rate of intraobserver and interobserver error to recommend its use.
authors.affiliation: Avon Orthopaedic Centre, Southmead Hospital, Bristol, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Kelly
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: N S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: I D
authors.initials: ID
authors.lastname: Learmonth
mesh_terms: D001843:Bone Cements; D002484:Cementation / Q000145:classification* / Q000379:methods; D005269:Femur / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D006621:Hip Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006622:Hip Prosthesis; D006801:Humans; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011859:Radiography; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
chemical_list: D001843:Bone Cements