Accurate and precise acetabular reaming is a requirement for the press-fit stability of cementless acetabular hip replacement components. The accuracy of reaming depends on the reamer, the reaming technique and the bone quality. Conventional reamers wear with use resulting in inaccurate reaming diameters, whilst the theoretical beneficial effect of ‘whirlwind’ reaming over straight reaming has not previously been documented. Our aim was to compare the accuracy and precision of single use additively-manufactured reamers with new conventional reamers and to compare the effect of different acetabular reaming techniques. Forty composite bone models, half high-density and half low-density, were reamed with a new 61 mm conventional acetabular reamer using either straight or ‘whirlwind’ reaming techniques. This was repeated with a 61 mm single use additively-manufactured reamer. Reamed cavities were scanned using a 3D laser scanner with mean diameters of reamed cavities compared using the Mann-Whitney U test to determine any statistically significant differences between groups (p<0.05) [Fig. 1).Aims
Materials and Methods