Safety of vitamin E-infused highwall liners for routine use in primary total hip arthroplasty: single centre, short-term follow-up of 1221 cases

Background: Introduction of new implants should be monitored closely to capture any signs of compromising patient safety. Vitamin E infused highly-crosslinked polyethylene liners (VEPE) offer the potential for reduced wear. Highwall liners have been hypothesised to result in increased wear and potential liner fractures. The aim of this study was to determine the 3–7-year follow-up of highwall VEPE for primary total hip arthroplasty (THA), focusing on liner-related complications. Methods: We included 1221 consecutive THA operations from July 2010 to May 2014 with minimum follow-up of 3 (3.1–6.8) years Data collected included demographics, implant data, complications, reoperations, and deaths. Data were cross-referenced with the Danish Hip Arthroplasty Registry in order to ensure validity and completeness. Acetabular shell position was measured using Martell Hip Analysis Suite in a subgroup of 931 THAs. Results: Cumulative stem revision and shell revision at 3-year follow-up was 3.4% and 0.4% respectively. There were no revisions due to liner failure. Reason for revision included 11 dislocations, 15 soft-tissue revisions for infection, 44 stem revisions of which 34 were periprosthetic fractures and 13 shell revisions of which 6 were combined shell and stem revisions. Conclusion: Early follow-up of VEPE liners for primary THA have not shown any revisions associated with liner failure. Continued monitoring of new materials are necessary to capture any signs of compromised patient safety.