[What effect does the hydroxyapatite coating have in cementless knee arthroplasty?]

The goal of this study was to compare the migration of noncemented diffusion sintered titanium fibermesh-coated tibial components with (HA group) and without (non-HA group) additional hydroxyapatite coating. For this purpose digital radiostereometry (DIRSA) was used to compare the migration after 2 and 9 years for the two groups. After 2 years the mean maximum subsidence of the HA-coated components (0.24+/-0.18 mm) was about one-half of the mean maximum subsidence of the non-HA-coated group (0.55+/-0.55 mm). After 9 years the maximum subsidence of the HA-coated components was still smaller, but not as pronounced as before. The same trend was also found for the endpoint maximum total point motion (MTPM). After 2 years the mean MTPM of the HA-coated components was 0.66+/-0.38 mm and of the non-HA group 0.73+/-0.50 mm. After 9 years the mean MTPM for the HA-coated components was 0.54+/-0.15 mm and for the non-HA-coated components 0.74+/-0.20 mm. None of the HA-coated tibial components but one of the non-HA group had to be revised and exchanged due to aseptic loosening.