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Pre-heating of components in cemented total hip arthroplasty

Research output: Contribution to Journal/MagazineJournal articlepeer-review

Published
  • A. A. Jafri
  • S. M. Green
  • P. F. Partington
  • A. W. McCaskie
  • S. D. Muller
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<mark>Journal publication date</mark>11/2004
<mark>Journal</mark>Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, British Volume
Issue number8
Volume86B
Number of pages6
Pages (from-to)1214-1219
Publication StatusPublished
<mark>Original language</mark>English

Abstract

Fatigue fractures which originate at stress-concentrating voids located at the implantcement interface are a potential cause of septic loosening of cemented femoral components. Heating of the component to 44degreesC is known to reduce the porosity of the cement-prosthesis interface. The temperature of the cement-bone interface was recorded intral-operatively as 32.3degreesC. A simulated femoral model was devised to study the effect of heating of the component on the implant-cement interface. Heating of the implant and vacuum mixing have a synergistic effect on the porosity of the implant-cement interface, and heating also reverses the gradients of microhardness in the mantle. Heating of the implant also reduces porosity at the interface depending on the temperature. A minimum difference in temperature between the implant and the bone of 3degreesC was required to produce this effect. The optimal difference was 7degreesC, representing a balance between maximal reduction of porosity and an increased risk of thermal injury. Using contemporary cementing techniques, heating the implant to 40degreesC is recommended to produce an optimum effect.