Cementation and interface analysis of early failure cases after hip-resurfacing arthroplasty

The use of inappropriate cementation techniques has been suggested as an adverse factor for the long-term survival of hip-resurfacing arthroplasty. Inadequate initial fixation, thermal osteonecrosis and interface biological reactions are possible causes of failure. We analysed morphological changes associated with the cementation technique in a large collection of retrieved femoral components.

One hundred and fifty femoral components (mean time to failure of 8.3 months±11.0) obtained at revision surgery were analysed morphometrically and histopathologically. Cement mantle and penetration were quantified in six different regions of interest. Histopathological analysis of the bone-cement interface was performed on undecalcified processed bone tissue.

The vast majority of the cases differed substantially from laboratory-based cement-penetration depth recommendations. Fifty-nine cases had a fibrous membrane at the cement-bone interface. This membrane was significantly thicker in cases with osteonecrosis compared to cases viable bone.

Our results demonstrate that most failures were cemented inappropriately. We suggest that poor cementation was an important adverse factor; however, the cause of the failures was obviously multifactorial. The thickness of the fibrous membrane at the cement-bone interface differed significantly between cases with osteonecrosis and specimens with viable bone tissue.