Validation of a simple radiographic method to determine variations in pelvic and acetabular cup sagittal plane alignment after total hip arthroplasty.
OBJECTIVE
Orientation of acetabular component, influenced by pelvic tilt, body position, and individual variations affects the outcome following total hip arthroplasty (THA). Currently available methods of evaluation are either imprecise or require advanced image processing. We analyzed intersubject and intrasubject variability of pelvic tilt, measured by sagittal sacral tilt (ST) and its relationship with acetabular component tilt (AT) by using a simple method based on standard radiographs.


METHODS
ST was measured on lateral radiographs of pelvis including lumbosacral spine obtained in supine, sitting, standing, and lateral decubitus position for 40 asymptomatic THA patients and compared to computed tomography (CT) data obtained in supine position. AT was measured on lateral radiographs (measured acetabular tilt: MAT) in each position and compared to measurement of AT on CT and an indirectly calculated AT (CAT).


RESULTS
Mean ST changed from supine to sitting, standing, and lateral decubitus positions as follows: 26.5 +/- 15.5 degrees (range 4.6-73.4 degrees ), 8.4 +/- 6.2 degrees (range 0.6-24.5 degrees ), and 13.4 +/- 8.4 degrees (range 0.1-24.2 degrees ; p < 0.0001, p = 0.002, p = 0.006). The MAT on radiographs was not significantly different from the MAT measured on CT (p = 0.002) and the CAT (p = 0.06). There is a good correlation between change in ST and MAT in sagittal plane (r = 0.93).


CONCLUSIONS
Measurement of ST on radiographs is a simple and reliable method to track changes in pelvic tilt in different body positions. There is significant intersubject and intrasubject variation of ST and MAT with postural changes and it may explain causes of impingement or instability following THA, which could not be previously explained.
Shon
Won Yong
WY
Department of Orthopedics, Korea University College of Medicine, Guro Hospital, # 80, Guro-Dong, Guro-Gu, Seoul, 152-703, South Korea. shonwy@hotmail.com
Gupta
Siddhartha
S
Biswal
Sandeep
S
Hur
Chang Yong
CY
Jajodia
Nirmal
N
Hong
Suk Joo
SJ
Myung
Jae Sung
JS
D000077:Acetabulum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019644:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip; D005260:Female; D006622:Hip Prosthesis; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D010384:Pelvic Bones / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011187:Posture; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D016683:Supine Position; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed