Objectives. The Attune total knee arthroplasty (TKA) has been used in over 600 000 patients worldwide. Registry data show good clinical outcome; however, concerns over the cement-tibial interface have been reported. We used retrieval analysis to give further insight into this controversial topic. Methods. We examined 12 titanium (Ti) PFC Sigma implants, eight cobalt-chromium (CoCr) PFC Sigma implants, eight cobalt-chromium PFC Sigma rotating platform (RP) implants, and 11 Attune implants. We used a peer-reviewed digital imaging method to quantify the amount of cement attached to the backside of each tibial tray. We then measured: 1) the size of tibial tray thickness, tray projections, peripheral lips, and undercuts; and 2) surface roughness (Ra) on the backside and keel of the trays. Statistical analyses were performed to investigate differences between the two designs. Results. There was no evidence of cement attachment on any of the 11 Attune trays examined. There were significant differences between Ti and CoCr PFC Sigma implants and Attune designs (p < 0.05); however, there was no significant difference between CoCr PFC Sigma RP and Attune designs (p > 0.05). There were significant differences in the design features between the investigated designs (p < 0.05). Conclusion. The majority of the earliest PFC Sigma designs showed evidence of cement, while all of the retrieved Attune trays and the majority of the RP PFC trays in this study had no cement attached. This may be attributable to the design differences of these implants, in particular in relation to the cement pockets. Our results may help explain a controversial aspect related to cement attachment in a recently introduced TKA design. Cite this article: A. Cerquiglini, J. Henckel, H. Hothi, P. Allen, J. Lewis, A. Eskelinen, J. Skinner, M. T. Hirschmann, A. J. Hart. Analysis of the Attune tibial tray backside: A comparative
Mechanical wear and corrosion at the head-stem junction of total hip arthroplasties (THAs) (trunnionosis) have been implicated in their early revision, most commonly in metal-on-metal (MOM) hips. We can isolate the role of the head-stem junction as the predominant source of metal release by investigating non-MOM hips; this can help to identify clinically significant volumes of material loss and corrosion from these surfaces. In this study we examined a series of 94 retrieved metal-on-polyethylene (MOP) hips for evidence of corrosion and material loss at the taper junction using a well published visual grading method and an established roundness-measuring machine protocol. Hips were retrieved from 74 male and 20 female patients with a median age of 57 years (30 to 76) and a median time to revision of 215 months (2 to 324). The reasons for revision were loosening of both the acetabular component and the stem (n = 29), loosening of the acetabular component (n = 58) and infection (n = 7). No adverse tissue reactions were reported by the revision surgeons.Objectives
Methods
Third-body wear is believed to be one trigger for adverse results
with metal-on-metal (MOM) bearings. Impingement and subluxation
may release metal particles from MOM replacements. We therefore
challenged MOM bearings with relevant debris types of cobalt–chrome
alloy (CoCr), titanium alloy (Ti6Al4V) and polymethylmethacrylate
bone cement (PMMA). Cement flakes (PMMA), CoCr and Ti6Al4V particles (size range
5 µm to 400 µm) were run in a MOM wear simulation. Debris allotments
(5 mg) were inserted at ten intervals during the five million cycle
(5 Mc) test. Objectives
Methods
