Total Hip Arthroplasty in Patients With Severe Chronic Pubic Diastasis

Aamir A Bhimani; Brian P Gladnick; Jeremy M Gililland; Lucas A Anderson; John L Masonis; Paul C Peters Jr

doi:10.1016/j.artd.2022.02.017

Total Hip Arthroplasty in Patients With Severe Chronic Pubic Diastasis

Arthroplast Today. 2022 Mar 20:14:189-193. doi: 10.1016/j.artd.2022.02.017. eCollection 2022 Apr.

Authors

Aamir A Bhimani¹, Brian P Gladnick^{2

3}, Jeremy M Gililland⁴, Lucas A Anderson⁴, John L Masonis⁵, Paul C Peters Jr^{2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Baylor Univeristy Medical Center, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Dallas, TX, USA.
² W.B. Carrell Memorial Clinic, Adult Hip and Knee Reconstruction, Dallas, TX, USA.
³ Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas, Dallas, TX, USA.
⁴ Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
⁵ OrthoCarolina Hip and Knee Center, Charlotte, NC, USA.

Abstract

Background: Total hip arthroplasty (THA) in patients with severe chronic pubic diastasis from either congenital or acquired causes presents an exceptionally difficult challenge that has rarely been addressed in the arthroplasty literature. The purpose of this paper is to present a series of THAs in patients with severe chronic pubic diastasis, asking the following research questions: (1) What is the survivorship and clinical outcomes after THA in patients with severe chronic pubic diastasis? And (2) What is the rate of complications after THA surgery in this challenging patient population? We additionally describe our algorithm for preoperative planning and rationale for surgical technique and implant position.

Material and methods: We retrospectively queried the prospective arthroplasty database of 2 high-volume referral centers, yielding 6 THA in 4 patients with severe chronic pubic diastasis (minimum 8 cm) with a mean follow-up of 2.7 years. We recorded baseline demographic and intraoperative variables, as well as survivorship, patient-reported outcomes (Hip disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score for Joint Replacement score), and incidence of complications.

Results: There were no failures reported (100% survivorship) at a mean follow-up of 2.7 years. Mean Hip disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score for Joint Replacement scores improved from 36.0 preoperatively to 82.8 postoperatively. There were no infections, dislocations, fractures, or any major complications in the postoperative period.

Conclusion: THA for patients with severe chronic pubic diastasis remains a rare but challenging reconstructive procedure. Excellent outcomes can be achieved with adequate preparation, particularly regarding the acetabular component position. Understanding the nature of the hemipelvis deformity and meticulous templating using "normalized" views of the hip are important components to a successful preoperative plan.

Keywords: Patient-reported outcomes; Pre-operative planning; Pubic diastasis; Survivorship; Total hip arthroplasty.