Well-fixed acetabular component retention or replacement - The whys and the wherefores

Occasionally the adult reconstructive surgeon is faced with a well-fixed acetabular component that is associated with an arthroplasty problem that ordinarily would require removal and replacement of the CLIP. Removal of a well-fixed CLIP is associated with considerable morbidity in bone loss, particularly in the medial wall of the acetabulum. In such a situation, retention Of the CLIP with exchange Only of the polyethylene liner may be possible. As preparation for a prospective Study, I informally reviewed my experience of cup retention or replacement in revision total hip arthroplasty. An algorithm for retaining or revising a well-fixed acetabular component is presented here.