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This
figure shows the type of hip implant generally used at the Anderson
Orthopaedic Institute.
Although
initially developed for young, active patients, our experience
in several thousand cases shows that this porous-coated method
works well for patients of all ages and lifestyles.
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Today,
both cementless (also called uncemented and porous-coated) and
cemented hip replacements offer patients effective, long-term
relief.
However,
this was not always the case. In the the late 70s, cement was
used in total hip
replacements to attach implants to the femur and acetabulum. At
that time, loosening of implants was the greatest shortcoming
of hip replacements. When
revision operations were done to correct the problem, the success
rate was lower than with the initial surgery.
For
these reasons, Dr. Charles Engh, Medical Director of the Anderson
Orthopaedic Research Institute, pursued an operation that did
not use cement for fixation. Instead, implants were covered with
a sintered metal porous coating. He believed that periprosthetic
bone would grow into these porous-coated implants and provide
long-term fixation.
In
1977 Anderson Clinic physicians began using porous-coated implants,
especially for young, active patients. Due to our excellent outcomes,
in 1983, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved this method
for all physicians. These components have provided long-term performance
and satisfaction to patients. Our research institute (AORI) has
assessed the outcomes of these cementless hip components in thousands
of patients, and cementless porous-coated components are used
in hip replacements around the world.
For
more information on the performance of the specific implants used
at Anderson Orthopaedic Clinic, see long-term
results with the Anatomic Medullary Locking stem and cup.
For information on various cups, see A
Single Center's Experience with Total Hip Arthroplasty Using Porous-Coated
Acetabular Components.
While
we prefer porous-coated components for all total hip arthroplasty
patients, we acknowledge that cemented techniques have improved
greatly. Other institutions also provide long-term research on
cemented and other uncemented implants. We encourage patients
to look at such information before determining their course of
action. One reliable place to start is the American
Association for Orthopaedic Surgeons: Patient Information.
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