Abstract
Introduction and Objectives: During 1986, we began working with the concept of osteointegration of a fully-coated stem in the hope of achieving a lasting fixation and preservation of normal trophic bone surrounding the prosthesis.
Materials and Methods: Between July 1986 and December 1990, we implanted 615 Corail stems. Mean age of the patients was 64.5 years; 242 patients died (39%), 62 patients (10%) have been lost to follow-up. Mean follow-up of the 243 patients still alive was 17.7 years.
Results: 89 revisions: 72 acetabular cups, 8 bipolar, 9 stems. If we consider the survival of the stem alone, the Kaplan curve is 95.0% +/− 3.0, if we take into account only aseptic loosening, the probability of stem survival at 18 years is 98.9 +/− 1.
Discussion and Conclusions: At 18 years follow-up the fixation of a fully HA-COATED stem is still trustworthy. A major part of this prospective study was the lack of symptoms surrounding the prosthesis determined by X-ray imaging.
The abstracts were prepared by E. Carlos Rodríguez-Merchán, Editor-in-Chief of the Spanish Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology (Revista Española de Cirugía Ortopédica y Traumatología). Correspondence should be addressed to him at: Sociedad Española de Cirugía Ortopédica y Traumatología, calle Fernández de los Ríos 108, 28015-Madrid, Spain
