Varus Stem Positioning of a Cementless Anatomical THA. (VARABG)

Varus Stem Positioning Does Not Affect Long-term Functional Outcome in Cementless Anatomical Total Hip Arthroplasty.

Varus positioning is the most common femoral malposition in total hip arthroplasty (THA). The aim of this study was to compare the long-term results of an anatomical cementless femoral stem positioned in varus with those in neutral alignment.

Data were prospectively collected and retrospectively reviewed for all patients who received a cementless anatomical femoral stem in THA between 1998 and 2008. After exclusion criteria applied, 127 stems had an varus axis deviated by more than 3 degrees (varus group) and 156 had an alignment between 0 and 2.9° from the femoral axis (neutral group). Survivorship rates, complications, clinical scores, thigh pain, radiological score, cortical hypertrophy and filling rate were analyzed. Mean follow-up was 10 years.

Inclusion Criteria:

• All patients received by several senior surgeons, the same standardized posterolateral total hip arthroplasty, and the same rehabilitation protocol.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Etiologies other than osteoarthritis (osteonecrosis, fracture, dysplasia, rheumatoïd arthritis),
• Complex cases with additional procedure,
• Dual-taper modular or cemented stem,
• Incomplete preoperative data or less than one-year postoperative data.