RESUMO
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term results of cemented Muller prostheses using a 32 mm metal femoralhead. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed 43 (31 patients) of 76 (55 patients) consecutive THAs, which were performed between April 1978and September 1985. The average duration of follow-up was 148 months (range, 65-279 months). The average age at the time of indexoperation was 44.4 years. Preoperative diagnosis was osteonecrosis in 31 hips, posttraumatic osteonecrosis in 8 hips, osteoarthritis in 2hips, and rheumatoid arthritis in 2 hips. We assessed cases clinically by Harris hip scores and radiographically by loosening and osteolysis, and measured polyethylene wear by the Livermore method. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to evaluate survivability. We analyzedthe relationship and the statistical difference between wear and age, weight, height, body mass index, diagnosis, polyethylenethickness, and cup inclination (Pearson correlation's analysis, Student t-test, ANOVA test). The p-value was set p50 degrees) (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Cemented Muller THAs using a 32 mm metal head showed poor survivability after an average follow-up of 12 years, due to the high incidence of loosening, the high rate of polyethylene wear and osteolysis. These results seem to be due to the relatively largenumber of operation for osteonecrosis of the femoral head in young patients and shortcomings of curved femoral stem design and the first generation cementing technique.