Cementing a Monoblock Dual-Mobility Implant into a Fully Porous Cup in Revision Total Hip Arthroplasty to Address Hip Instability
Authors: Shichman Ittai , Habibi Akram A. , Robin Joseph X. , Gemayel Anthony C. , Lowe Dylan T. , Schwarzkopf Ran 
Published: November 2023

Background:

The use of a cemented monoblock dual-mobility implant into a fully porous cup is indicated for patients with acetabular bone loss who have a high risk of postoperative hip instability. Patients undergoing lumbar fusion for sagittal spinal deformities have an increased risk of hip dislocation (7.1%) and should be assessed on sitting and standing radiographs
1
. Gabor et al. conducted a multicenter, retrospective study assessing the use of a cemented monoblock dual-mobility bearing in a porous acetabular shell in patients with acetabular bone loss and a high risk of hip instability
2
. Of the 38 patients, 1 (2.6%) experienced a postoperative dislocation that was subsequently treated with closed reduction without further dislocation. This surgical technique represents a favorable surgical option for patients with acetabular bone loss who are at risk for hip instability. In the example case described in the present video article, the patients had a history of dislocations, lumbar fusion, and evidence of Paprosky 3B acetabular defect; as such, the decision was made to revise to a porous shell and cement a monoblock dual-mobility implant.

Description:

With use of the surgeon’s preferred approach, the soft tissue is dissected and the hip is aspirated. The hip is dislocated and a subgluteal pocket is made with use of electrocautery to mobilize the trunnion of the femoral stem to aid in acetabular exposure. The femoral component is assessed to ensure appropriate positioning with adequate anteversion. The acetabular component and any acetabular screws are removed. A “ream to fit” technique is performed in the acetabulum until bleeding bone is encountered, with minimal reaming performed in healthy bone from the posterior column. A trial prosthesis is placed within the acetabulum to evaluate if there is satisfactory fixation and if any augment is necessary. Care must be taken during reaming to ensure that enough bone is reamed to accommodate a porous shell that can fit the monoblock dual-mobility implant with a 2-mm cement mantle. Smaller porous shells measuring 56 mm are available for smaller defects but are often not utilized in cases of substantial acetabular bone loss. Fresh-frozen cancellous allograft is utilized to fill any contained defects. The revision porous shell with circumferential screw holes is utilized to allow for screw fixation posterosuperior and anterior toward the pubis. The implants are dried prior to placement of the cement. The cement is applied to the shell and the monoblock dual-mobility implant to ensure adequate coverage. Antibiotic-loaded cement can be utilized according to surgeon preference. Excess cement is removed under direct visualization while the cement is drying, and the position of the dual-mobility implant is adjusted in approximately 20° anteversion and 40° inclination. Stability is assessed after the cement cures, and intraoperative radiography can be performed to confirm cup positioning prior to closure. Any remaining capsule is closed, followed by closure of the remaining soft tissue in a layered fashion.

Alternatives:

A fully porous multi-hole jumbo cup with conventional polyethylene liner and femoral head can be utilized to increase the jump distance of the femoral head. Constrained, lipped, or offset polyethylene liners can be utilized if the shell is well fixed and a dual-mobility implant cannot be inserted. A cemented dual-mobility implant can be utilized in a well-fixed acetabular shell without evidence of loosening or osteolysis.

Rationale:

Dual-mobility implants have become increasingly utilized because of their advantages: (1) ability to decrease dislocation rate without increasing constraint and (2) increasing range of motion with reduced impingement risk
2–8
. These implants are particularly useful in the setting of revision cases with large acetabular bone defects. In a study of 76 patients with dual-mobility implants cemented into porous acetabular shells, Muthusamy et al. found that only 3.3% of patients experienced postoperative dislocations
9
. Moreover, acetabular cup survival was excellent, with 100% survival at 1 year and 96.2% at 2 years.

Expected Outcomes:

The use of a dual-mobility implant is a viable treatment option in cases of revision total hip arthroplasty, particularly those in which postoperative stability is a concern; monoblock dual-mobility implants cemented into porous shells are particularly useful in this setting
2–8
. These trends are similarly seen in patients treated with monoblock dual-mobility implants cemented into porous shells. Muthusamy et al. evaluated the use of this construct to treat instability or risk of hip dislocation in 76 hips, reporting a dislocation rate of 3.3% at 2 years. Additionally, the authors reported rates of all-cause acetabular survival from re-revision of 96.7% at 6 months, 93.3% at 1 year, and 89.7% at 2 years
9
. Physicians should be aware of the possibility for intra-prosthetic dislocations, as although this complication is rare, it has been reported in the literature
7,10
.

Important Tips:

In order to allow for circumferential coverage for fixation and ingrowth potential in cases with acetabular defects, the shell is typically impacted slightly vertical (45° to 50° of inclination) and in neutral version (0° to 5° of anteversion). Positioning can be adjusted to improve osseous contact and ingrowth as determined by the size and shape of the defect.

The use of a drill guide for the locking screws allows limited degrees of variable screw angulation. In the revision setting, longer screws may be placed posterosuperior toward the sciatic notch or anteroinferior into the pubis. Surgeons should be aware of the anatomy and should predrill holes to reduce the risk of injury to surrounding neurovascular structures such as the obturator artery anteriorly.

Any screw holes that are not filled should be covered with plastic hole covers in order to prevent cement from migrating behind the cup. Implants should be dried prior to the placement of the cement, and the cement should be applied to the shell and the dual-mobility implant to ensure adequate coverage.

Utilize a monoblock dual-mobility implant that is designed for cementation in order to avoid implant dissociation from the acetabular shell.

Remove all fibrous tissue that may hinder bony integration.

Assess for pelvis discontinuity; pelvis discontinuity and acetabular bone loss are risk factors in the setting of any revision and should be properly assessed preoperatively and intraoperatively and managed accordingly.

Avoid over-reaming and damage of the posterior column.

Utilize a reamer or trial to assess defect size and need for augments.

Place a compression screw where the cup is in contact with the bone in order to avoid tilting.

Cover unused screw holes.

Acronyms and Abbreviations:

THA = total hip arthroplasty

S/P = status post

TKA = total knee arthroplasty

CT = computed tomography

KM = Kaplan Meier

DMC = dual-mobility cup

PE = polyethylene