ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To clarify the relationship between aseptic loosening of hip arthroplasty and adhesion molecules on interfacial membrane from revisional hip arthroplasty. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied 26 revisional total hip arthroplasties between May 2004 and July 2006, and 15 synovial tissues from hip fractures were selected as the control group. We analyzed the degree of femoral osteolysis by Paprosky's classification. We examined the expression of soluble endothelial leukocyte adhesion molecule-1 (E-selectin), vascular adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) by immunohistochemical staining technique. We compared and analyzed radiologic evaluation and expression of adhesion molecules. RESULTS: Expression of E-selectin was observed in 100%, VCAM-1 in 42.3% and ICAM-1 in 34.6%. Expression of adhesion molecules were increased compared to the control group (p<0.05). The higher the expression of E-selectin, the higher the degree of osteolysis (p=0.023). CONCLUSION: These results showed that adhesion molecules are involved in aseptic loosening of hip arthroplasties, and we proposed that E-selectin may strongly engage in the cascade of aseptic loosening in hip arthroplasty.