Use of tricalcium phosphate or electrical stimulation to enhance the bone-porous implant interface

Implant stabilization by biologic ingrowth into a porous surface offers a durable method of prosthetic fixation. These systems, however, lack the immediate stability offered by the use of acrylic bone cement. The interface strength of porous coated Co--Cr--Mo in a canine model does not approach that of acrylic bone cement until two weeks postoperatively. It is expected that this would be a minimum time period in clinical applications. Both chemical and electrical means have been advocated as methods to affect tissue ingrowth. A study using a canine model was undertaken to determine tissue ingrowth rates utilizing examples of these two methods: (1) impregnation of the porous structures with tricalcium phosphate powder (TCP); or (2) the application of an electrical stimulator to the implant with the implant itself serving as the cathode. Ten implants were coated with TCP, two each at weekly intervals from 1 to 5 weeks. Plain porous rods were likewise implanted, serving as the controls. While histology did reveal a slightly more dense bony structure, the interface bond strength was not affected by TCP. Electrical stimulation of the implant was similarly investigated with an additional time period of 10 weeks. Compared to the controls, the electrically stimulated implants reveal no statistically demonstratable difference in interface strength. Histologic specimens indicate larger areas of calcification than are observed in the controls.