Methodological approach to addressing joint replacement challenges in osteopetrosis: a clinical review perspective
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v82.119200Keywords:
Osteoclasts, osteopetrosis, hip, knee, joint replacement, arthroplasty, arthritisAbstract
Introduction and Objective: Osteopetrosis is a rare bone disorder characterized by increased bone density due to defective bone remodeling, resulting in abnormal bone architecture and skeletal deformities. It may affect the hip and knee joints and increase the complexity of total joint arthroplasty. This review aims to summarize the causes, clinical features, and complications of osteopetrosis, with particular emphasis on its implications for hip and knee replacement surgery.
Methodology: This review examines relevant previous and contemporary literature on osteopetrosis, focusing on its pathophysiology, diagnosis, associated complications, and challenges in hip and knee arthroplasty. The available evidence is considered to identify important clinical implications for the assessment and surgical management of affected patients.
Results: The literature indicates that osteopetrosis can cause increased bone density, abnormal bone remodeling, skeletal deformities, and an elevated risk of fractures. These changes, together with associated degenerative joint disease, can complicate hip and knee replacement procedures. Increased bone hardness, altered bone anatomy, and difficulties in surgical preparation and implant fixation may present significant technical challenges for orthopedic surgeons. Appropriate preoperative assessment and individualized surgical planning are therefore essential.
Conclusions: Osteopetrosis presents important challenges in hip and knee arthroplasty and requires careful diagnosis, comprehensive preoperative evaluation, and tailored surgical strategies. Further clinical research is needed to establish evidence-based recommendations and improve surgical outcomes in patients with this rare bone disorder.
References
Adie, S., Harris, I., Chuan, A., Lewis, P., & Naylor, J. M. (2019). Selecting and optimising patients for total knee arthroplasty. Medical Journal of Australia, 210(3), 135-141.
Alkhayal, Z., Shinwari, Z., Gaafar, A., & Alaiya, A. (2023). Carbonic anhydrase II activators in osteo-petrosis treatment: A review. Current Issues in Molecular Biology, 45(2), 1373-1386. https://doi.org/10.3390/cimb45020089
Bailey, J. R., & Tapscott, D. C. (2023). Continuing Education Activity.
Blin-Wakkach, C., Rouleau, M., & Wakkach, A. (2014). Roles of osteoclasts in the control of medullary hematopoietic niches. Archives of biochemistry and biophysics, 561, 29-37. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.abb.2014.06.032
Bollerslev, J., & Andersen, P. E. (1989). Fracture patterns in two types of autosomal-dominant osteo-petrosis. Acta Orthopaedica Scandinavica, 60(1), 110-112. https://doi.org/10.3109/17453678909150106
Bollerslev, J., & Mosekilde, L. (1993). Autosomal dominant osteopetrosis. Clinical Orthopaedic Man-agement of the Patient With Osteopetrosiss and Related Research (1976-2007), 294, 45-51.
Bollerslev, J., & Mosekilde, L. (1993). Autosomal dominant osteopetrosis. Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research (1976-2007), 294, 45-51.
Cameron, H. U., & Dewar, F. P. (1977). Degenerative osteoarthritis associated with osteopetrosis. Clini-cal Orthopaedics and Related Research (1976-2007), 127, 148-149. https://doi.org/10.1097/00003086-197709000-00019
Chang, A., Breeland, G., Black, A. C., & Hubbard, J. B. (2023). Anatomy, Bony Pelvis and Lower Limb: Femur. In StatPearls [Internet]. StatPearls Publishing.
Charles, J. F., & Aliprantis, A. O. (2014). Osteoclasts: more than ‘bone eaters’. Trends in molecular med-icine, 20(8), 449-459. https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.molmed.2014.06.001
Charles, J. F., & Aliprantis, A. O. (2014). Osteoclasts: more than ‘bone eaters’. Trends in molecular med-icine, 20(8), 449-459. https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.molmed.2014.06.001
Chen, L. R., Ko, N. Y., & Chen, K. H. (2019). Medical treatment for osteoporosis: from molecular to clini-cal opinions. International journal of molecular sciences, 20(9), 2213. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms20092213
CJ, J. (1971). Osteoarthritis associated with osteopetrosis treated by total hip replacement arthroplasty: report of a case. Clevel Clin, 38, 169-177.
Cohen-Solal, M., Collet, C., Bizot, P., Pavis, C., & Funck-Brentano, T. (2023). Osteopetrosis: The patient point of view and medical challenges. Bone, 167, 116635. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bone.2022.116635
Comulada, D. B., Rivera, L., Echegaray, G., Colón, R., Rodríguez-Santiago, S., & Otero, A. (2020). Bilat-eral posterior-stabilized total knee arthroplasty in a patient with osteopetrosis and literature review. Arthroplasty Today, 6(4), 866-871. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.artd.2020.09.016
Coudert, A. E., de Vernejoul, M. C., Muraca, M., & Del Fattore, A. (2015). Osteopetrosis and its relevance for the discovery of new functions associated with the skeleton. International journal of endo-crinology, 2015. https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/372156
Davies, P. S., Graham, S. M., Maqungo, S., & Harrison, W. J. (2019). Total joint replacement in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review. Tropical Doctor, 49(2), 120-128. https://doi.org/10.1177/0049475518822239
Del Fattore, A., Teti, A., & Rucci, N. (2012). Bone cells and the mechanisms of bone remodelling. Fron-tiers in Bioscience-Elite, 4(6), 2302-2321.
Ghalme, S. G., Mankar, A., & Bhalerao, Y. (2016). Biomaterials in hip joint replacement. Int. J. Mater. Sci. Eng, 4(2), 113-125. https://doi.org/10.17706/ijmse.2016.4.2.113-125
Girard, J., Vendittoli, P. A., Lavigne, M., & Roy, A. G. (2006). Resurfacing arthroplasty of the hip in oste-opetrosis. The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery British Volume, 88(6), 818-821. https://doi.org/10.1302/0301-620X.88B6
Gold, M., Munjal, A., & Varacallo, M. (2017). Anatomy, bony pelvis and lower limb, hip joint.
Guntur, A. R., & Rosen, C. J. (2012). Bone as an endocrine organ. Endocrine Practice, 18(5), 758-762. https://doi.org/10.4158/EP12141.RA.
Gupton, M., Imonugo, O., & Terreberry, R. R. (2018). Anatomy, bony pelvis and lower limb, knee.
Health Investigators. (2019). Total hip arthroplasty or hemiarthroplasty for hip fracture. New England Journal of Medicine, 381(23), 2199-2208. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa1906190
Hsu, H., & Siwiec, R. M. (2018). Knee arthroplasty. PMID: 29939691
Huybrechts, Y., & Van Hul, W. (2022). Osteopetrosis associated with PLEKHM1 and SNX10 genes, both involved in osteoclast vesicular trafficking. Bone, 164, 116520. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.BONE.2022.116520
Hyland, S., Sinkler, M. A., & Varacallo, M. (2018). Anatomy, bony pelvis and lower limb, popliteal re-gion.
Jacome-Galarza, C. E., Percin, G. I., Muller, J. T., Mass, E., Lazarov, T., Eitler, J., ... & Geissmann, F. (2019). Developmental origin, functional maintenance and genetic rescue of osteoclasts. Na-ture, 568(7753), 541-545. https://doi.org/10.1038%2Fs41586-019-1105-7
Jiang, Y., Zhang, P., Zhang, X., Lv, L., & Zhou, Y. (2021). Advances in mesenchymal stem cell transplan-tation for the treatment of osteoporosis. Cell proliferation, 54(1), e12956. https://doi.org/10.1111/cpr.12956
Jimi, E., & Katagiri, T. (2022). Critical roles of NF-κB signaling molecules in bone metabolism revealed by genetic mutations in osteopetrosis. International journal of molecular sciences, 23(14), 7995. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23147995
Kim, S. E., & Han, H. S. (2024). Robotic arm-assisted total knee arthroplasty in a patient with osteo-petrosis: a case report and review of literature. Orthopedic Reviews, 16. https://doi.org/10.52965/001c.94238
Kovanlikaya, A., Loro, M. L., & Gilsanz, V. (1997). Pathogenesis of osteosclerosis in autosomal domi-nant osteopetrosis. AJR. American journal of roentgenology, 168(4), 929-932.
Lam, D. K., Sándor, G. K., Holmes, H. I., Carmichael, R. P., & Clokie, C. M. (2007). Marble bone disease: a review of osteopetrosis and its oral health implications for dentists. Journal of the Canadian Dental Association, 73(9), 839-844.
Landa, J., Margolis, N., & Di Cesare, P. (2007). Orthopaedic management of the patient with osteopetro-sis. JAAOS-Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, 15(11), 654-662.
Lange, U., Teichmann, J., Schett, G., Neumann, E., & Müller-Ladner, U. (2013). Osteoimmunology: how inflammation influences bone metabolism. Deutsche Medizinische Wochenschrift (1946), 138(37), 1845-1849. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0033-1349486
Manolagas, S. C. (2000). Birth and death of bone cells: basic regulatory mechanisms and implications for the pathogenesis and treatment of osteoporosis. Endocrine reviews, 21(2), 115-137.
Manzi, G., Romanò, D., Moneghini, L., & Romanò, C. L. (2012). Successful staged hip replacement in septic hip osteoarthritis in osteopetrosis: a case report. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, 13, 1-6. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2474-13-50
Mayer, S. W., Hug, K. T., Hansen, B. J., & Bolognesi, M. P. (2012). Total knee arthroplasty in osteopetro-sis using patient-specific instrumentation. The Journal of Arthroplasty, 27(8), 1580-e1. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.arth.2011.12.007
Ng, P. Y., Brigitte Patricia Ribet, A., & Pavlos, N. J. (2019). Membrane trafficking in osteoclasts and im-plications for osteoporosis. Biochemical Society Transactions, 47(2), 639-650. https://doi.org/10.1042/BST20180445
Oury, F. (2012). A crosstalk between bone and gonads. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1260(1), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-6632.2011.06360.x
Papagrigorakis, E., Galanis, A., Vlachos, C., Vavourakis, M., Zachariou, D., Vlamis, J., & Pneumaticos, S. (2022). Periprosthetic fracture of total hip replacement in patients with osteopetrosis: A case presentation and review of literature. Journal of Frailty, Sarcopenia and Falls, 7(4), 251. https://doi.org/10.22540%2FJFSF-07-251
Penna, S., Capo, V., Palagano, E., Sobacchi, C., & Villa, A. (2019). One disease, many genes: implications for the treatment of osteopetroses. Frontiers in Endocrinology, 10, 443083. https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2019.00085
Roopashri, R. K., Gopakumar, R., & Subhas, B. G. (2008). Osteomyelitis in infantile osteopetrosis: a case report with review of literature. Journal of Indian Society of Pedodontics and Preventive Den-tistry, 26(Supplement), S125-S128.
Schulz, A., & Kornak, U. (2015). CLCN7-related osteopetrosis. GeneReviews.
Sharma, S. S., Saravanan, C., Sathyabama, V., & Satish, C. (2013). Osteopetrosis of the mandible mas-querading as tubercular osteomyelitis. Case Reports, 2013, bcr2012007487. https://doi.org/10.1136%2Fbcr-2012-007487
Siljander, M. P., Trousdale, R. T., Perry, K. I., Mabry, T. M., Berry, D. J., & Abdel, M. P. (2021). Total hip arthroplasty in patients with osteopetrosis. The Journal of Arthroplasty, 36(4), 1367-1372. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.arth.2020.10.018
Sivasankar, M., Arunkumar, S., Bakkiyaraj, V., Muruganandam, A., & Sathishkumar, S. (2016). A review on total hip replacement. International research journal in advanced engineering and technol-ogy, IRJAET, 2(2), 589-592.
Sobacchi, C., Schulz, A., Coxon, F. P., Villa, A., & Helfrich, M. H. (2013). Osteopetrosis: genetics, treat-ment and new insights into osteoclast function. Nature Reviews Endocrinology, 9(9), 522-536. https://doi.org/ 10.1038/nrendo.2013.137
Sobacchi, C., Schulz, A., Coxon, F. P., Villa, A., & Helfrich, M. H. (2013). Osteopetrosis: genetics, treat-ment and new insights into osteoclast function. Nature Reviews Endocrinology, 9(9), 522-536.
Stark, Z., & Savarirayan, R. (2009). Osteopetrosis. Orphanet journal of rare diseases, 4, 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1186/1750-1172-4-5
Strickland, J. P., & Berry, D. J. (2005). Total joint arthroplasty in patients with osteopetrosis: a report of 5 cases and review of the literature. The Journal of arthroplasty, 20(6), 815-820. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.arth.2004.11.015
Thudium, C. S., Nielsen, S. H., Sardar, S., Mobasheri, A., van Spil, W. E., Lories, R., ... & Karsdal, M. A. (2020). Bone phenotypes in rheumatology–there is more to bone than just bone. BMC Musculo-skeletal Disorders, 21, 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-020-03804-2
Tolar, J., Teitelbaum, S. L., & Orchard, P. J. (2004). Mechanisms of disease. Osteopetrosis. N Eng J Eng J Med, 351, 2839-2849.
Vernejoul, M. C., & Benichou, O. (2001). Human osteopetrosis and other sclerosing disorders: recent genetic developments. Calcified Tissue International, 69(1), 1. https://doi.org/10.1007/s002230020046
Waguespack, S. G., Hui, S. L., DiMeglio, L. A., & Econs, M. J. (2007). Autosomal dominant osteopetrosis: clinical severity and natural history of 94 subjects with a chloride channel 7 gene mutation. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 92(3), 771-778. https://doi.org/10.1210/jc.2006-1986
Walker, D. G. (1973). Osteopetrosis cured by temporary parabiosis. Science, 180(4088), 875-875.
Wu, C. C., Econs, M. J., DiMeglio, L. A., Insogna, K. L., Levine, M. A., Orchard, P. J., ... & Polgreen, L. E. (2017). Diagnosis and management of osteopetrosis: consensus guidelines from the osteo-petrosis working group. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 102(9), 3111-3123. https://doi.org/10.1210/jc.2017-01127
Xie, L., Ding, F., Jiao, J., Kan, W., & Wang, J. (2015). Total Hip and Knee arthroplasty in a patient with osteopetrosis: a case report and review of the literature. BMC musculoskeletal disorders, 16, 1-5. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-015-0716-x.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Rimmi sen

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and ensure the magazine the right to be the first publication of the work as licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of authorship of the work and the initial publication in this magazine.
- Authors can establish separate additional agreements for non-exclusive distribution of the version of the work published in the journal (eg, to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal.
- Is allowed and authors are encouraged to disseminate their work electronically (eg, in institutional repositories or on their own website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as to a subpoena more Early and more of published work (See The Effect of Open Access) (in English).
This journal provides immediate open access to its content (BOAI, http://legacy.earlham.edu/~peters/fos/boaifaq.htm#openaccess) on the principle that making research freely available to the public supports a greater global exchange of knowledge. The authors may download the papers from the journal website, or will be provided with the PDF version of the article via e-mail.