Dual mobility acetabular cups for total hip arthroplasty: advantages and drawbacks

Abstract

Introduction: The dual mobility cup (DMC) concept was proposed by Professor Gilles Bousquet in 1974. Its' aims were to prevent postoperative dislocation, restore the physiological range of motion of the hip, and reduce the stresses at the interface. Since it was created, this design has been modified multiple times to reduce the complication rate, improve implant survival, and expand the indications.

Areas covered: The objective of this review is to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this implant based on its 40-year history and also to propose a range of indications based on published results. This will provide surgeons with a complete overview of DMC.

Expert commentary: Published studies on DMC confirm the low dislocation rate. Improvements made to DMC overtime have greatly reduced the complications related to wear, such as aseptic loosening and intraprosthetic dislocation (IPD). According to the literature, the indications have expanded and are no longer limited to revision surgery only. Long-term studies are needed before we can draw formal conclusions and consolidate these promising results.

Keywords: Hip; aseptic loosening; dislocation; dual mobility cup; review; total hip arthroplasty.