The effects of the collar on total hip femoral component subsidence

Twenty-four preserved autopsy femurs were used to evaluate the effect of the collar and tight distal fit on noncemented femoral component subsidence, micromotion, and load to failure. Ten collared implants (five with tight and five with loose distal fit) and 14 collarless implants (seven with tight and seven with loose distal fit) were inserted with press-fit technique. They were compressively loaded in an Instron machine (Instron, Canton, Massachusetts) at 25-kg increments with 20 cycles applied at each load level. Subsidence was significantly decreased, and load to failure increased by the collar. None of the parameters was significantly affected by tight fit of the cylindrical distal stem. Tightening of the collarless implant by subsidence could not be relied upon to achieve fixation, and may not be reliable in a clinical situation. Improved rigidity of fixation and increased strength achieved by seating on the collar are distinctive advantages for pain control and biologic fixation of noncemented femoral components.