Dual mobility hip arthroplasty wear measurement: Experimental accuracy assessment using radiostereometric analysis (RSA).
BACKGROUND
The use of dual mobility cups is an effective method to prevent dislocations. However, the specific design of these implants can raise the suspicion of increased wear and subsequent periprosthetic osteolysis.


OBJECTIVE
Using radiostereometric analysis (RSA), migration of the femoral head inside the cup of a dual mobility implant can be defined to apprehend polyethylene wear rate.


OBJECTIVE
The study aimed to establish the precision of RSA measurement of femoral head migration in the cup of a dual mobility implant, and its intra- and interobserver variability.


METHODS
A total hip prosthesis phantom was implanted and placed under weight loading conditions in a simulator. Model-based RSA measurement of implant penetration involved specially machined polyethylene liners with increasing concentric wear (no wear, then 0.25, 0.5 and 0.75mm). Three examiners, blinded to the level of wear, analyzed (10 times) the radiostereometric films of the four liners. There was one experienced, one trained, and one inexperienced examiner. Statistical analysis measured the accuracy, precision, and intra- and interobserver variability by calculating Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), Concordance Correlation Coefficient (CCC), Intra Class correlation Coefficient (ICC), and Bland-Altman plots.


RESULTS
Our protocol, that used a simple geometric model rather than the manufacturer's CAD files, showed precision of 0.072mm and accuracy of 0.034mm, comparable with machining tolerances with low variability. Correlation between wear measurement and true value was excellent with a CCC of 0.9772. Intraobserver reproducibility was very good with an ICC of 0.9856, 0.9883 and 0.9842, respectively for examiners 1, 2 and 3. Interobserver reproducibility was excellent with a CCC of 0.9818 between examiners 2 and 1, and 0.9713 between examiners 3 and 1.


CONCLUSIONS
Quantification of wear is indispensable for the surveillance of dual mobility implants. This in vitro study validates our measurement method. Our results, and comparison with other studies using different measurement technologies (RSA, standard radiographs, Martell method) make model-based RSA the reference method for measuring the wear of total hip prostheses in vivo.


METHODS
Level 3. Prospective diagnostic study.
Pineau
V
V
Department of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Caen Côte de Nacre Teaching Hospital, Center, avenue de la Côte-de-Nacre, 14033 Caen cedex France. pineau-v@chu-caen.fr
Lebel
B
B
Gouzy
S
S
Dutheil
J-J
JJ
Vielpeau
C
C
D000465:Algorithms; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D006622:Hip Prosthesis; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D015588:Observer Variation; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D020959:Polyethylene; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D012984:Software; D014584:User-Computer Interface; D016474:Weight-Bearing / Q000502:physiology*
D020959:Polyethylene