Change in spinopelvic mobility 3 months after THA using a direct anterior approach.

Introduction: Spinopelvic kinematics, reflected by the change in spinopelvic tilt (ΔSPT) from a standing position to a flexed seated position, has been associated with the risk of prosthetic impingement and hip dislocation. Some studies have suggested changes in spinopelvic mobility after total hip arthroplasty (THA), but none have explored changes in mobility in the first three months following THA using a direct anterior approach.

Hypothesis: Our hypothesis was that changes in spinopelvic mobility occur in the first 3 months postoperatively, leading to increased hip mobility and increased spinopelvic kinematic abnormalities.

Methods: This retrospective analysis of a consecutive series included 109 patients treated with primary anterior THA by a single senior surgeon. Lateral radiographs taken in standing and flexed seated positions before and three months after surgery were examined to analyze ΔSPT, pelvic femoral angle (PFA), lumbar lordosis (LL), and abnormal spinopelvic mobility (ΔSPT ≥20 °). Secondary objectives included examining the relationship between changes in lumbar flexion and hip flexion, and then analyzing preoperative spinopelvic parameters involved in postoperative pelvic mobility changes.

Results: Between the two periods of analysis, the ΔSPT increased on average by 9.53 ° (-34.4/50.3 °), the ΔPFA increased by 7.68 ° (-74/49 °), and lumbar flexion (ΔLL) decreased by 4.26 ° (-20.8/26 °). The rate of ΔSPT ≥20 ° was 22.9% before the operation and 47.7% after the operation (OR = 8.98; CI [2.82; 28.56]; p < 0.001). A strong positive correlation was found between changes in ΔSPT and ΔPFA (ρ = 0.76; r² = 0.574; p < 0.001) and no correlation between changes in ΔSPT and ΔLL (ρ=-0.019; r² = 0.005; p = 0.842). The multivariate analysis demonstrated independent predictors of change in ΔSPT were body mass index (BMI, β = -0.59, [-1.15; -0.03], p = 0.0386), ΔPFA (β = -0.46, [-0.59; -0.34], p < 0.001), and ΔLL (β = -0.36, [-0.53; -0.19], p < 0.001). No dislocation was observed.

Conclusions: Spinopelvic mobility changes occur early on, within 3 months, after anterior THA. Patients with preoperative lumbar stiffness, associated with a stiff hip and lower BMI, should prompt surgeons to the risk of worsening spinopelvic kinematic abnormalities postoperatively.

Level of evidence: IV; retrospective study.