Minimally invasive posterolateral hip approach with SPARTAQUUS (Spare the Piriformis And Respect The Active QUadratus femoris and gluteus mediUS) technique.

Interest in the different surgical approaches to total hip arthroplasty remains high, but without any real consensus on which approach is the most beneficial. Several recent technical innovations have made it possible to reduce the risk of dislocation, therefore improving the efficacy of the posterolateral approach. Since 2003, we have been using a modified minimally invasive posterolateral approach called SPARTAQUUS (Spare the Piriformis And Respect The Active QUadratus femoris and gluteus mediUS), which spares the piriformis tendon, the quadratus femoris muscle and the gluteus medius muscle, and involves direct capsular repair. The "active posterosuperior hammock" effect of the piriformis tendon is therefore coupled with the "passive posterosuperior hammock" effect of the capsular repair, thus limiting the risks of posterior dislocation of the prosthetic hip joint.

Thoracic Stent-Graft Migration: The Role of the Geometric Modifications of the Stent-Graft at 3 years.

BACKGROUND: To date, clinical and experimental studies on stent graft (SG) migration have focused on aortic morphology and blood flow. However, thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) is not an instant fixation of the SG in the aortic lumen but rather a continuous process of deformation and three-dimensional change in the configuration and the geometry of the SG. The aim of this study was to analyze the geometric evolution of the aortic SG in the proximal attachment zone at midterm follow-up and its impact on the SG migration. METHODS: Sixty-two patients underwent TEVAR for thoracic aortic aneurysm from 2007 till 2013. Thirty patients were treated and had a complete clinical and morphological follow-up at 1 month and 3 years. We calculated the SG radius of curvature (RC) change at the proximal attachment zone "P" on the postoperative computed tomography scan at 1 month and 3 years. RESULTS: There were 19 atheromatous aneurysms, 8 postdissection aneurysms, and 3 posttraumatic aneurysms. Two patients were treated at zone 1, seven at zone 2, and twenty-one at zone 3. The median decrease of the RC at "P" was 11 mm (interquartile range, 6.5 mm; range, 1-29 mm. A greater decrease in RC was identified in patients with hostile proximal neck having a large diameter (P = 0.006), short neck length (P = 0.04), and neck thrombus grade II and III (P = 0.02). In the migration group, the RC of "P" decreased significantly at 3 years (27.5 mm vs 18.25 mm; P = 0.03). Three patients had type I endoleak and showed a decrease of the RC at "P" (42 vs 13 mm; 28 vs 15 mm; 24 vs 9 mm). CONCLUSIONS: The SG seems to have geometric changes in the proximal attachment zone over time. The increase of SG curvature might be a predictor for SG migration and may prompt prophylactic reintervention.