An evaluation of prosthetic femoral head  impact on acetabular articular cartilage in a hemiarthroplasty model

J. R. Field; R. Stanley; R. Appleyard; M. McGee; S. Callary; K. Nilsson

doi:10.3415/VCOT-08-02-0020

Veterinary and Comparative Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Table of Contents

Vet Comp Orthop Traumatol 2009; 22(02): 142-147
DOI: 10.3415/VCOT-08-02-0020

Original Research

Schattauer GmbH

An evaluation of prosthetic femoral head impact on acetabular articular cartilage in a hemiarthroplasty model

Authors

J. R. Field

¹Comparative Orthopaedic Research Surgical Facility, School of Medicine, Flinders University, South Australia, Australia
R. Stanley

¹Comparative Orthopaedic Research Surgical Facility, School of Medicine, Flinders University, South Australia, Australia
R. Appleyard

²Raymond Purves Bone and Joint Research Laboratory, Royal North Shore Hospital, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
M. McGee

³Orthopaedics and Trauma, Royal Adelaide Hospital, University of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
S. Callary

³Orthopaedics and Trauma, Royal Adelaide Hospital, University of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
K. Nilsson

⁴Orthopaedic Department, Umeå University Hospital, Umeå, Sweden

Abstract

Summary

Objectives: The quantitation of the impact of hemiarthroplasty currently involves clinical outcome measures and radiographic evaluation. This study used in vivo and in vitro means in order to evaluate articular cartilage changes following hemiarthroplasty in the sheep.

Methods: Radiostereometric analysis (RSA) was utilized in order to quantitate migration (penetration) in vivo of the femoral head into the articular cartilage of the acetabulum. Dynamic stiffness of retrieved specimens was quantitated in vitro using a handheld device. Chondrocyte viability was assessed using live/dead cell staining and quantitated using image analysis techniques. Saffranin-O staining provided histological assessment of the cellular response to hemiarthroplasty.

Results: RSA showed rapid penetration of the femoral head into the acetabular cartilage over six months. Significantly higher levels of dynamic stiffness were observed in the acetabula following hemiarthroplasty. Confocal imagery highlighted changes in chondrocyte distribution and morphology. A loss of metachromasia, fibrovascular tissue invasion and apoptosis were observed histologically.

Conclusions: RSA and measurement of the dynamic mechanical characteristics of cartilage provide a means of evaluating the development of degenerative articular cartilage changes in response to hemiarthroplasty.

Keywords

Hemiarthroplasty - radiosterometry - prosthesis migration

Full Text

References

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