To compare the quantity of bone removed from the acetabulum during resurfacing hip arthroplasty versus uncemented total hip arthroplasty (THA).
62 consecutive patients with osteoarthritis of the hip were prospectively studied. 24 men and 7 women aged 40 to 86 (mean, 59) years underwent Birmingham hip resurfacing. 13 men and 18 women aged 34 to 88 (mean, 61) years underwent uncemented THA using the trident acetabular cup. Obese elderly women at risk of femoral neck fracture and patients with large subchondral pseudocysts or a history of avascular necrosis of the femoral head were assigned to uncemented THA. Acetabular reamings were collected; marginal osteophytes were not included. The reamings were dehydrated, defatted, and weighed.
The mean weight of acetabular reamings was not significantly different between patients undergoing hip resurfacing and uncemented THA (p=0.57).
In hip resurfacing, the use of an appropriately small femoral component avoids oversizing the acetabular component and removal of excessive bone stock.