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Mechanical failure of the femoral component in cemented total hip replacement — a finite element evaluation

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Abstract

The quality of cementation is of paramount importance for the long-term clinical outcome in cemented total hip replacement. Four “modes of failure” have been differentiated by various authors and correlated with the clinical findings. A finite element analysis was performed to simulate an ideally cemented femoral stem-type prosthesis as well as failure modes III (proximal anchorage of implant only) and IV (Distal anchorage of implant only). While failure mode III produces a stress distribution at the bone/acrylic cement interface, which is similar to the ideally cemented prosthesis, failure mode type IV leads to a hazardous rise of the interface stresses. This correlates well with the clinical findings given in the literature, thus validating the computer simulation used. Distal cementation only of a stem-type femoral component in total hip replacement should definitely be avoided.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Klinikum Großhadern, Orthopädische Klinik und Poliklinik der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munchen, Marchioninistrasse 15, D-81377, München, Germany

    V. Jansson & H. J. Refior

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  1. V. Jansson
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  2. H. J. Refior
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Jansson, V., Refior, H.J. Mechanical failure of the femoral component in cemented total hip replacement — a finite element evaluation. Arch Orthop Trauma Surg 113, 23–27 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00440590

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00440590

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