Mid-Term Outcomes of Dual Mobility Acetabular Cups for Revision Total Hip Arthroplasty

This study evaluated (1) survivorship, (2) clinical outcomes, (3) complications, and (4) radiographic outcomes of dual mobility (DM) systems when compared to fixed-bearing prostheses in revision total hip arthroplasty (THA).

A cohort of 85 patients who underwent revision THA using DM implants were compared to a prior matching cohort of 170 patients who received fixed-bearing implants. Mean follow-up time was 4 years in the DM cohort and 10 years in the fixed-bearing cohort. Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed to assess survivorships. Clinical outcomes were evaluated using the Harris Hip Score (HHS). Complications and radiographs were evaluated and reported at the final follow-up.

Overall aseptic and all-cause survivorships of the DM cohort were 96.5% and 95.3% compared to 94.7% and 93.5% in fixed-bearing cohort (P = .01 for aseptic and all-cause survivorships). The DM cohort had statistically significant higher survivorship when compared at equivalent follow-up interval in the fixed-bearing cohort. There were 3 aseptic (one due to dislocation) and 1 septic revision in the DM cohort compared to 9 aseptic (6 due to dislocation) and 2 septic revisions in the fixed-bearing cohort. Postoperative HHS scores were 88 and 86 points in the DM and fixed-bearing cohorts. However, the difference in mean improvement in HHS scores from preoperative to postoperative (ΔHHS) was not statistically significant (35 vs 34, P = .533). Except for the aforementioned revisions, there were no progressive radiolucencies or osteolysis on radiographic evaluation in both cohorts.

DM articulations demonstrated superior survivorship at equal follow-up intervals when compared to fixed-bearing implants and showed a trend toward lower dislocation rates.