Additive manufacturing (3D printing) is used to create porous surfaces that promote bone ingrowth in an effort to improve initial stability and optimize long-term biological fixation. The acetabular cup that was studied is manufactured with titanium alloy powder via electron beam melting. Electron beam melting integrates the porous and solid substrate rather than sintering a porous coating to a solid surface. The 3D-printed acetabular cup's high surface coefficient of friction (up to 1.2), combined with its geometry, creates a predictable press-fit in the acetabulum, improving initial mechanical stability and ultimately leading to reproducible biologic fixation. The objective of this study was to evaluate the early clinical outcomes and implant fixation of this 3D-printed acetabular cup in total hip arthroplasty (THA). Four hundred twenty-eight subjects from 8 US and international research sites underwent primary THA with the 3D-printed acetabular cup. All sites received IRB approval prior to conducting the study, and all participants signed the informed consent. Screw usage and number used during surgery were used as a surrogate measurement for initial implant fixation. Clinical performance outcomes included pre- and post-operative Harris Hip Scores (HHS) and Oxford Hip Scores (OHS), patient satisfaction, and revision assessment. 215 patients had a minimum 1-year post-operative follow-up visit. Student t-tests were used to identify significant mean differences (p<0.05).INTRODUCTION
METHODS
