The Results of Long-term Follow-up of Total Hip Arthroplasty Using Hydroxyapatite-coated Cups

Biomedical Applications of Titanium Alloys: A Comprehensive Review

Titanium alloys have emerged as the most successful metallic material to ever be applied in the field of biomedical engineering. This comprehensive review covers the history of titanium in medicine, the properties of titanium and its alloys, the production technologies used to produce biomedical implants, and the most common uses for titanium and its alloys, ranging from orthopedic implants to dental prosthetics and cardiovascular devices. At the core of this success lies the combination of machinability, mechanical strength, biocompatibility, and corrosion resistance. This unique combination of useful traits has positioned titanium alloys as an indispensable material for biomedical engineering applications, enabling safer, more durable, and more efficient treatments for patients affected by various kinds of pathologies. This review takes an in-depth journey into the inherent properties that define titanium alloys and which of them are advantageous for biomedical use. It explores their production techniques and the fabrication methodologies that are utilized to machine them into their final shape. The biomedical applications of titanium alloys are then categorized and described in detail, focusing on which specific advantages titanium alloys are present when compared to other materials. This review not only captures the current state of the art, but also explores the future possibilities and limitations of titanium alloys applied in the biomedical field.

Does hydroxyapatite coating of uncemented cups improve long-term survival? An analysis of 28,605 primary total hip arthroplasty procedures from the Nordic Arthroplasty Register Association (NARA)

OBJECTIVE

It is unclear whether hydroxyapatite (HA) coating of uncemented cups used in primary total hip arthroplasty (THA) improves bone ingrowth and reduces the risk of aseptic loosening. We therefore investigated survival of different uncemented cups that were available with or without HA coating.

METHOD

We investigated three different cup types used with or without HA coating registered in the Nordic Arthroplasty Register Association (NARA) database that were inserted due to osteoarthritis (n = 28,605). Cumulative survival rates and adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for the risk of revision were calculated.

RESULTS

Unadjusted 13-year survival for cup revision due to aseptic loosening was 97.9% (CI: 96.5-99.4) for uncoated and 97.8% (CI: 96.3-99.4) for HA-coated cups. Adjusted HRs were 0.66 (CI 0.42-1.04) for the presence of HA coating during the first 10 years and 0.87 (CI 0.14-5.38) from year 10-13, compared with uncoated cups. When considering the endpoint cup revision for any reason, unadjusted 13-year survival was similar for uncoated (92.5% [CI: 90.1-94.9]) and HA-coated (94.7% [CI: 93.2-96.3]) cups. The risk of revision of any component due to infection was higher in THA with HA-coated cups than in THA with uncoated cups (adjusted HR 1.4 [CI 1.1-1.9]).

CONCLUSIONS

HA-coated cups have a similar risk of aseptic loosening as uncoated cups, thus the use of HA coating seems to not confer any added value in terms of implant stability. The risk of infection seemed higher in THA with use of HA-coated cups, an observation that must be investigated further.

Total Hip Arthroplasty With a Fully Hydroxyapatite-Coated Stem: A Cohort Study During 23-28 Years

BACKGROUND

Long-term results of a hydroxyapatite (HA)-coated stem are sparse. We have followed a cohort of patients operated with a grit-blasted titanium stem designed for press-fit insertion and entirely plasma-sprayed with HA up to 28 years.

METHODS

In the years 1988-1993, we performed 323 primary total hip arthroplasties in 276 patients (189 women). Their mean age was 48 (15-79) years. During the following years, 83 patients with 88 hips have died, and 18 patients did not attend the follow-up examination, but had no major symptoms according to telephone interviews and control examination. Thus, 212 patients (255 hips) were followed up for more than 20 years.

RESULTS

Three patients were revised because of late periprosthetic infection, 1 because of a fall with periprosthetic fracture, and 2 stems were revised due to mechanical failure. Osteolysis was significantly associated with wear, and wear was significantly associated with the size of the femoral head. We found a small amount of proximal bone loss and a low incidence of distal hypertrophy of the bone. The bone changes confirmed a well-fixed femoral component in asymptomatic patients.

CONCLUSION

Our findings indicate an essentially physiological weight distribution from the stem to the femoral bone with no significant thigh pain. The changes in the bone confirmed that the femoral component was well-fixed, and we conclude that a fully HA-coated titanium stem designed for press-fit insertion lasts for 23-28 years.