Preparation of the Femoral Bone Cavity for Cementless Stems: Broaching vs Compaction. A Five-Year Randomized Radiostereometric Analysis and Dual Energy X-Ray Absorption Study

Abstract

Background: Short-term experimental and animal studies have confirmed superior fixation of cementless implants inserted with compaction compared to broaching of the cancellous bone.

Methods: Forty-four hips in 42 patients (19 men) were randomly operated using cementless hydroxyapatite-coated Bi-Metric stems. Patients were followed with radiostereometric analysis at baseline, 6 and 12 weeks, 1, 2, and 5 years, and measurements of periprosthetic bone mineral density at baseline, 1, 2, and 5 years. Complications during the study period and clinical outcome measures of Harris Hip Score were recorded at mean 7 years (5-8.8) after surgery.

Results: Absolute migrations of medio/lateral translations between the broaching group and the compaction group of mean 0.14 mm (standard deviation [SD] 0.10) vs mean 0.30 mm (SD 0.27) (P = .01) at 1 year, and of mean 0.13 mm (SD 0.10) vs 0.34 mm (0.31) (P = .01) at 5 years were different. Absolute valgus/varus rotations of mean 0.12° (SD 0.13°) in the broaching group were less than mean 0.35° (0.45°) in the compaction group (P < .01) at 1 year, but at 5 years no difference was observed (P = .19). Subsidence and retroversion were similar between groups at all follow-ups (P > .13). The compaction group had significantly less bone loss than the broaching group in Gruen zone 3 (distal-lateral to the stem) at 1 and 5 years. No further differences in bone mineral density changes were found between groups up to 5 years after surgery. Complications throughout the period and clinical outcome measures of Harris Hip Score were similar at 7 years (5-8.8) after surgery.

Conclusion: We found increased migration when preparing the bone with compaction compared with broaching in cementless femoral stems.

Keywords: broaching; cementless femoral stem; compaction; dual X-ray energy absorption; femoral bone preparation technique; radiostereometric analyses.