Abstract
Introduction
Cementless acetabular components are commonly used in primary and revision total hip arthroplasty, and most designs have been successful despite differences in the porous coating structure. Components with 2D titanium fiber mesh coating (FM) have demonstrated high survivorships up to 97% at 20 years1. 3D tantalum porous coatings (TPC) have been introduced in an attempt to improve osseointegration and therefore implant fixation. Animal models showed good results with this new material one year after implantation2, and clinical and radiographic studies have demonstrated satisfactory outcomes3. However, few retrieval studies exist evaluating in vivo bone ingrowth into TPC components in humans. We compared bone ingrowth between well-fixed FM and TPC retrieved acetabular shells using backscatter scanning electron microscopy (BSEM).
Methods
16 retrieved, well-fixed, porous coated acetabulum components, 8 FM matched to 8 TPC by gender, BMI and age, all revised for reasons other than loosening and infection, were identified from our retrieval archive (Fig. 1). The mean time in-situ was 42 months for TPC and 172 for FM components. Components were cleaned, dehydrated, and embedded in PMMA. They were then sectioned, polished, and examined using BSEM. Cross-sectional slices were analyzed for percent bone ingrowth and percent depth of bone ingrowth (Fig. 2). Analysis was done using manual segmentation and grayscale thresholding to calculate areas of bone, metal, and void space. Percent bone ingrowth was determined by assessing the area of bone compared to the void space that had potential for bone ingrowth.
Results
The average bone ingrowth was 19.2% for the eight FM components and 6.9% for the eight TPC components. Bone ingrowth in the FM components was quite variable, ranging from as little as 2.3% to as much as 71.6%. Conversely, the amount of bone ingrowth seen in the TCP acetabular cups was less variable, ranging from 0.4% to 13%. By design, TPC cups were more porous; the retrieved TPC cups had ∼65–75% porosity (area void space divided by total area of void space plus metal), while the retrieved FM cups had ∼40–50% porosity. No relation was found between bone ingrowth measured in the retrievals at the length of time that they had been implanted.
Discussion
The TPC retrievals were well-fixed at revision surgery, despite the small percent of the coating that had bone ingrowth. Other factors, such as high coefficient of friction, leading to effective initial fixation and sufficient bone ongrowth rather than ingrowth, may impact clinical performance. A previous study of post-mortem, well-fixed retrieved FM cups found 12 ±8% bone area ingrowth4, similar to our findings. Ongoing retrieval analysis will provide further insight into possible regional trends and material ingrowth differences.
