Evaluation of Accuracy of Bipolar Hip Arthroplasty Using a Digital Template

Abstract

The use of digital templates is increasing with the spread of electronic medical records in Japan. We used a digital template (PC Group) for bipolar hip prosthesis in patients with femoral neck fracture, and compared the accuracy of digital templating with the conventional on-lay template (H Group). Through the entire study period, the H group was superior to the PC group in accuracy of both stem size and outer head size. However, beyond 3 months, the accuracy was almost the same between the two groups in terms of size. In the first 3 months, the H group was apparently superior to the PC group. It was thought that experience was necessary for accurate digital templating. The stem size in the PC group tended to exceed the actual size of both the outer head and stem compared with the H group. As size tends to be extended with a digital template, caution is considered necessary. A digital template is convenient, needs no paper, can be used for arthroplasty, fractures of the extremities, and various other orthpaedic operations, but is a little expensive and takes time to master. The digital template has reliability equal to that of a conventional template, and is considered to be useful.