Higher reliability of triple-phase bone scintigraphy in cementless total hip arthroplasty compared to cementless bipolar hemiarthroplasty.

PURPOSE: Periprosthetic infection is one of the main reasons for revision surgery after hip arthroplasty. The purpose of the present study is to compare the reliability of triple-phase bone scintigraphy (TPBS) in the diagnosis of periprosthetic infection between cementless total hip arthroplasty (THA) and bipolar hemiarthroplasty (BHA).

METHODS: In this retrospective study, 52 patients were analyzed; 33 of them were performed with THA and 19 of them were performed with BHA. The exclusion criteria were cementation in previous surgery, romatological joint disorders, periprosthetic fracture and malignancy history. C reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation (ESR) rate results were recorded preoperatively. Tissue samples from the different areas periprosthetic tissue were obtained for histopathological examination and sample tissue culture.

RESULTS: In the present study, the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy were 90.9%, 77.3% and 81.8%, respectively, for THA and 77.8%, 60.0% and 68.4%, respectively, for BHA. Positive predictive values for THA and BHA were 66.7% and 63.6%, and negative predictive values were 94.4% and 75.0%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS: Due to the higher sensitivity, specificity and accuracy, TPBS has a more reliable diagnostic value for cementless THA in the diagnosis of periprosthetic infection compared to cementless BHA.