The porous tantalum monoblock cup has demonstrated excellent short-term and midterm clinical and radiographic outcomes in primary THA, but longer follow-up is necessary to confirm the durability of these results into the second decade. The purpose of this study is to report the clinical and radiographic outcomes for this monoblock cup with a minimum 15-year follow-up.
From June 1998 to December 1999, 61 consecutive patients (63 hips) underwent primary THA with a tantalum monoblock acetabular component. All patients were followed clinically and radiographically for a minimum of 15 years. At a mean of 15.6 years (range, 15-16 years) of follow-up, 5 patients had died, and 4 had been lost to follow-up, leaving 52 patients (54 hips) for analysis. The underlying diagnosis that led to the primary THA was primary osteoarthritis in 43 hips, avascular necrosis in 4, developmental hip dysplasia in 3, rheumatoid arthritis in 3 and post-traumatic osteoarthritis in 1.
One cup was revised for deep infection; at surgery, the cup showed osseointegration. At a mean follow-up of 15.6 years (range, 15-16 years), the survivorship with cup revision for aseptic loosening as end point was 100%. There was no radiographic evidence of loosening, migration, or gross polyethylene wear at last follow-up. The mean Harris Hip Scores improved from 47 points preoperatively to 94 points.
The porous tantalum monoblock cup in primary THA demonstrated excellent clinical and radiographic outcomes with no failures because of osteolysis or loosening at a minimum follow-up of 15 years.