Osteophytes During Hip Resurfacing Arthroplasty

Description

Professor Dominic Meek gives his expert insights around the management of osteophytes during resurfacing arthroplasty of the femoral head. Professor Meek emphasizes the importance of pre-operative templating, particularly 3D templating, to accurately differentiate between osteophyte formation and the femoral neck. The traditional advice to preserve osteophytes to minimize the risk of neck fractures is contested, as these formations are often superficial and can lead to complications like impingement, pain, or even subluxation if left intact. Professor Meek advocates for the thorough removal of all mature, corticated osteophytes to allow for optimal joint movement, while cautioning against confusing osteophytes with actual bone deficiencies such as those seen in slipped upper femoral epiphysis. Overall, proper pre-operative planning is crucial, and the presence of deficient bone is a contraindication for resurfacing procedures.


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DOI: 10.1302/3114-251272

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