Abstract
Introduction: Polyethylene wear debris is the main contributing factor that leads to aseptic loosening and osteolysis. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the role of hydroxyapatite (HA) in third-body polyethylene wear in total hip arthroplasty.
Materials: 199 primary cementless THA’s (174 patients) performed by a single surgeon were enrolled in a prospective randomized study comprising Hydroxyapatite and non-hydroxyapatite coated femoral implants. The femoral component had metaphyseal-diaphyseal fit design with proximal plasma sprayed titanium circumferential porous coating. The hydroxyapatite coating was 50 – 75 micrometers over the porous surface with the components of identical design. The acetabular component was plasma sprayed titanium porous coated shell without hydroxyapatite
The abstracts were prepared by Nico Verdonschot. Correspondence should be addressed to him at Orthopaedic Research Laboratory, University Medical Centre, PO Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
