Labral reconstruction with polyurethane implant

Surgical treatment of labral injuries has shifted from debridement to preservation over the past decades. Primary repair and secondary augmentation or reconstruction techniques are aimed at restoring the labral seal and preserving or improving contact mechanics. Currently, the standard of care for non-repairable tears favours the use of auto- or allografts. As an alternative, we present our initial experience using a synthetic, off-the-shelf polyurethane scaffold for augmentation and reconstruction of segmental labral tissue loss or irreparable labral damage. Three patients aged 37–44 (two male, one female) with femoroacetabular impingement without associated dysplasia (Wiberg > 25°) or osteoarthritis (Tönnis <2) were included in this series. Labral reconstruction (one case) and augmentation (two cases) were performed using a synthetic polyurethane scaffold developed for meniscal substitution (Actifit®, Orteq Ltd, London, UK) and adapted to the hip. Clinical results were analysed with patient-reported outcomes (PROMs) using non-arthritic hip score (NAHS) and daily live activities hip outcome score (DLA HOS) and magnetic resonance images (MRI) at 2- and 4-year follow-up. Clinically improvement was seen in all PROMs at 4 years. The NAHS scores improved from 57.7 to 82.3 (50.9% improvement) and HOS from 59 to 79.3 (35.3% improvement). Last follow-up MRIs confirmed the presence of the scaffold; however, the scaffold signal was still hyperintense compared to native labrum. There was no shrinkage in any scaffold and no progression to hip osteoarthritis seen. Reconstruction or augmentation of segmental labral defects with a polyurethane scaffold may be an effective procedure. At 4 years after implantation, our small cases series resulted in improved hip joint function, reduced pain and scaffold preservation on follow-up imaging.