Femoral-head vascularity after hip surface arthroplasty.
BACKGROUND
iatrogenic devascularization of the femoral head is as an area of concern following hip resurfacing arthroplasty, with probable implications on short-term failure and long-term survival of the implant.


METHODS
we assessed the vascularity of 25 resurfaced femoral heads in 20 patients by comparison with preoperative and postoperative Tc-99m methylene diphosphonate (MDP) bone scintigraphy images, the postoperative scans being done 9 months after the surgery.


RESULTS
eight out of 25 hips (32%) showed <55% of their preoperative uptake at a mean of 9 months after surgery and were categorized as showing reduced vascularity.


CONCLUSIONS
our study reveals reduction in vascularity of the femoral-head remnant as a frequent occurrence after hip resurfacing. Our study also highlights the role of bone scintigraphy as tool in assessing the vascularity of resurfaced femoral heads.
Kannan
Arun
A
Department of Orthopaedics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi, India. arunkannan.arun@gmail.com
Bal
Chandra Sekhar
CS
Kumar
Vijay
V
Mittal
Ravi
R
Damle
Nishikant
N
Malhotra
Rajesh
R
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019644:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip; D005260:Female; D005270:Femur Head / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006622:Hip Prosthesis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging