DEXA evaluation of total hip arthroplasty with neck-preserving technique: 4-year follow-up

Periprosthetic bone remodeling, and its evaluation, are the keys of long-term survival of cementless total hip arthroplasty. Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) is the most accurate method to measure bone mineral density, evaluating the effects of bone-prosthesis interactions. We studied, 4 years after implantation, 10 patients who underwent total hip arthroplasty with the CFP prosthetic stem and TOP acetabular cup (Waldemar Link, Hamburg, Germany). Our results demonstrate minimal periprosthetic bone loss compared to that normally observed with conventional stems. A few cases exhibited an increase in BMD. We believe that primary stability, prosthetic design, preservation of natural neck anteversion and off-set, better function related to muscle lever arm, and physiological bone loading with natural stress distribution are the keys of this succesful mini-invasive total hip replacement system. © Springer-Verlag Italia 2004.