Explicit finite element modelling of the impaction of metal press-fit acetabular components

Metal press-fit cups and shells are widely used in hip resurfacing and total hip replacement procedures. These acetabular components are inserted into a reamed acetabula cavity by either impacting their inner polar surface (shells) or outer rim (cups). Two-dimensional explicit dynamics axisymmetric finite element models were developed to simulate these impaction methods. Greater impact velocities were needed to insert the components when the interference fit was increased; a minimum velocity of 2 m/s was required to fully seat a component with a 2 mm interference between the bone and outer diameter. Changing the component material from cobalt-chromium to titanium alloy resulted in a reduction in the number of impacts on the pole to seat it from 14 to nine. Of greatest significance, it was found that locking a rigid cap to the cup or shell rim resulted in up to nine fewer impactions being necessary to seat it than impacting directly on the polar surface or using a cap free from the rim of the component, as is the case with many commercial resurfacing cup impaction devices currently used. This is important to impactor design and could make insertion easier and also reduce acetabula bone damage.