The clinical application value of 3.0T magnetic resonance T2 mapping imaging in evaluating the degree of acetabular cartilage degeneration in joint replacement surgery running title: MRI and acetabular cartilage degeneration.

BACKGROUND: To explore and compare the values of 3.0T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) T2 mapping in evaluating the degree of acetabular cartilage degeneration in hip replacement surgery. METHODS: A total of 26 elderly patients with femoral neck fractures who were scanned in 3.0T MRI T2 mapping quantification technique were included. Basing on MRI images, the degree of acetabular cartilage degeneration was classified into Grade 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4, according to the International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS) scores. In addition, 8 healthy volunteers were included for control group. RESULTS: By comparison with health population, T2 relaxation values in the anterior, superior, and posterior regions of acetabular cartilage in patients with femoral neck fracture were obviously increased (P < 0.001). Among the patients with femoral neck fractures, there were 16 hip joint with Grade 1-2 (mild degeneration subgroup) and 10 hip joints with Grade 3-4 (severe degeneration subgroup), accounting for 61.54% and 38.46%, respectively. Additionally, T2 relaxation values in the anterior and superior bands of articular cartilage were positively related to the MRI-based grading (P < 0.05); while there was no significant difference of T2 relaxation values in the posterior areas of articular cartilage between severe degeneration subgroup and mild degeneration subgroup (P > 0.05). Importantly, acetabular cartilage degeneration can be detected through signal changes of T2 mapping pseudo-color images. CONCLUSION: 3.0T MRI T2 mapping technology can be used to determine the degree of acetabular cartilage degeneration, which can effectively monitor the disease course.

Outcomes of direct superior approach and posterolateral approach for hemiarthroplasty in the treatment of elderly patients with displaced femoral neck fractures: A comparative study.

Hemiarthroplasty is a surgical choice for super-aged patients with a high surgical risk and a sedentary lifestyle. The direct superior approach (DSA), a minimally invasive modification of the posterior approach, is rarely studied in hemiarthroplasty. The aim of the present study was to compare the clinical outcomes in elderly patients with displaced femoral neck fractures undergoing hemiarthroplasty via DSA with the conventional posterolateral approach (PLA). A total of 48 elderly patients with displaced femoral neck fractures who underwent hemiarthroplasty between February 2020 and March 2021 were retrospectively included in the study. Of them, 24 patients (mean age 84.54 ± 2.11 years) were treated with hemiarthroplasty via DSA (DSA group), while the other 24 patients (mean age 84.92 ± 2.15 years) were treated with hemiarthroplasty via PLA (PLA group). Clinical outcomes, perioperative data, and complications were recorded. There were no obvious differences in the baseline characteristics between the DSA and PLA groups, including age, gender, body mass index, Garden type, American Society of Anesthesiologists score, and hematocrit. Perioperative data showed that the length of the incision in the DSA group was smaller than that in the PLA group (p < 0.001). However, the duration of the operation and blood loss in the DSA group were longer and higher than those in the PLA group, respectively (p < 0.001). In addition, the DSA group had a shorter hospitalization time than the PLA group (p < 0.001). The visual analog scale score and Harris score 1 month postoperatively in the DSA group were better than those in the PLA group (p < 0.001). Moreover, there were no significant differences between the two groups in Harris score (for assessment dysfunction) 6 months postoperatively (p > 0.05). DSA is less invasive and has better clinical outcomes, which can allow an early return to daily living activities in elderly patients with displaced femoral neck fractures undergoing hemiarthroplasty.

[Comparison of early clinical effects between direct superior approach and posterolateral approach in hemiarthroplasty of femoral neck fracture in the elderly].

OBJECTIVE: To compare and analyze the early clinical effect of direct superior approach(DSA) and posterior lateral approach (PLA) in hemiarthroplasty for elderly patients with femoral neck fracture. METHODS: The clinical data of 72 elderly patients with femoral neck fracture who underwent hemiarthroplasty from January 2020 to December 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. Among them, 36 patients were operated through minimally invasive DSA including 10 males and 26 females with an average age of (82.82±4.05) years old; the other 36 patients underwent traditional PLA including 14 males and 22 females with an average age of (82.79±3.21) years old. The perioperative related indexes and Harris scores during follow-up between two groups were compared. RESULTS: Comparison of operation time between two groups, (79.41±17.39) min of DSA group was shorter than(98.45±26.58) min of PLA group;incision length (8.33±2.69) cm was shorter than (11.18±1.33) cm of PLA group;intraoperative blood loss (138.46±71.58) ml was less than (173.51±87.17) ml of PLA group, initial landing time (3.04±0.95) d was earlier than (4.52±1.10) d of PLA group, hospitalization time (8.70±1.89) d was shorter than (10.67±2.35) d of PLA group(P<0.05). There was no statistical difference in Harris score between two groups before operation(P>0.05), but Harris score in DSA group was higher than that of PLA group at 1 month after operation(P<0.05), but at 12 months after operation, the difference was not statistically significant between two groups(P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Compared with PLA, DSA is superior in clinical indexes such as operation time, intraoperative blood loss, incision length, first landing time, length of hospitalization and Harris score in the first month after operation in hemi hip replacement, and has comparative advantages in promoting early postoperative rehabilitation of elderly patients with femoral neck.