Premium
The addition of a flange does not improve the pressure generated during cemented acetabular cup implantation
Author(s) -
Boote Alexander T.,
Deehan David J.,
Rankin Kenneth S.,
Swailes David C.,
Hyde Philip J.
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
journal of biomedical materials research part b: applied biomaterials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.665
H-Index - 108
eISSN - 1552-4981
pISSN - 1552-4973
DOI - 10.1002/jbm.b.35077
Subject(s) - flange , orthodontics , dentistry , materials science , medicine , composite material
Flanged acetabular cups were developed with the rationale that, at insertion, they would increase the pressure of the cement and improve penetration of cement into the acetabular bone. Various studies have been inconclusive regarding their effectiveness. In this work, we aimed to eliminate all confounding factors and measure the pressures generated during acetabular pressurization and cup implantation using a simplified steel acetabulum, high precision pressure transducers, proper surgical techniques and two acetabular cups, identical apart from the addition of a flange to one. It was found that the flanged acetabular component did not significantly increase the pressure in the acetabulum and in some cases reduced the pressures generated when compared to an unflanged cup. The addition of a flange did not reduce the pressure differential between the pole and the rim of the acetabulum, nor did it have a significant effect on pressure lost over the cup implantation period. It was concluded that flanged acetabular cups provide no significant improvement in the pressures generated in the acetabulum during acetabular cup implantation. It is hypothesized that the flange may be seen as a design feature intended to slow the insertion of the cup into the cement, thus requiring the surgeon to apply a larger load in order to correctly position the acetabular cup; in this way larger pressure will be generated.