title: 10-Year Survival of Acetabular Reinforcement Rings/Cages for Complex Hip Arthroplasty.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Acetabular reinforcement rings/ cages (AR) are commonly used for reconstruction of bone defects in complex hip arthroplasty. The aim of this study was to retrospectively investigate the 10-year survival rate of Ganz reinforcement rings and Burch-Schneider cages used in a single institution.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between September 1999 and June 2002 all ARs, implanted in one institution, were identified. All patients had regular clinical and radiographic follow-up and were included in this study. Their prospectively collected clinical and radiographic data was retrospectively analyzed. In case of death before the 10-year follow-up examination, patient's families or their general practitioner was contacted by telephone. The main outcome measures were survival of the ARs and kind of revision surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 10-year survival rate was 77.7%. At 10-year follow-up, 5/60 (8,3%) patients could not be located and had to be excluded therefore. 27/55 (49,1%) were dead, whereof 22 had no revision of the ARs before death (after a mean of 66 months; range: 0 - 123). Of the remaining 28/55 (50,9%) patients, 23 patients (24 ARs) had no revision of the ARs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite the high mortality rate of this study's collective, ARs for complex primary or revision total hip arthroplasty provided predictable long term results.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinical investigation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ewers
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Spross
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Lukas
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ebneter
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Fabrice
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Külling
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Karlmeinrad
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Giesinger
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Vilijam
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Zdravkovic
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Erhardt
keywords: Acetabular reinforcement ring/cage; Ganz Ring; Implant survival; acetabular revision. Burch-Schneider Cage