Management Principles of Massive Acetabular Bone Loss in Revision Total Hip Arthroplasty A Review of the Literature.

The management of acetabular bone loss during revision arthroplasty is a challenging problem. Not only are there a wide variety of potential defects, but the location of these defects can also drastically change the hip center of rotation, stability, and biomechanics. First, the assessment of the severity and location of bone loss preoperatively is highlighted as it is imperative to evaluate the acetabular bone stock remaining. It is especially important to determine how to identify a pelvic discontinuity. Various classification systems are discussed to help surgeons adequately assess and evaluate these defects. There are also numerous implants and treatment strategies available to manage the problem, all of which are determined by that preoperative assessment and classification. We review the history of managing these defects and how management has evolved into modern designs, including but not limited to structural allograft, distraction arthroplasty, jumbo cups, metal augments, cup-cages, and custom triflanges. This review then describes the up-to-date clinical results of these various techniques, highlighting the surgical execution needed to obtain a successful result. By describing the preoperative assessment, the acetabular defect classifications, and proposed evidence-based treatment algorithms, we hope that this review will enhance the understanding of these challenging reconstructions in the setting of acetabular bone defects.