Summary
Objective: Prosthetic elements must be securely anchored to bone. Should revision surgery be
necessary, preservation of bone stock is crucial. The goal of this study was to develop
and assess a femoral stem combining secure anchorage and facilitated removal in a
goat model.
Methods: The development of the uncemented femoral stem was part of an innovation process
to fulfill the combined requirements. The stem was designed with two longitudinal
semicircular grooves to accommodate a drill bit to unanchor the stem. These grooves
were interconnected by canals, each 1 mm in diameter. The surface was partly coated
with hydroxyapatite (HA). The stems were inserted in the left hip of 35 goats. Perioperatively,
the grooves were filled with autologous bone grafts, and standard cemented canine
acetabular component and head were used. The pull-out force was measured six months
postoperatively. Following randomization, 11 animals had the grooves of the stem drilled
to remove anchoring tissue. Twelve animals were left undrilled (controls).
Results: There was a significant difference in mean pull-out force between the group that
had been drilled (1526 N) compared with the controls (2033 N, p = 0.028). Most of
the HA had been resorbed.
Clinical significance: The stems had a high retention force. The procedure for un-anchoring by drilling
significantly reduced the pullout force.
Keywords
Total hip replacement - goat - experimental - uncemented - stem extraction