The John Charnley Award paper. Efficacy of using a bone graft substitute to enhance biological fixation of a porous metal femoral component.

The efficacy of using hydroxyapatite/tricalcium phosphate (HAP/TCP) particles to enhance the biological fixation of a canine cementless femoral component with a noninterference fit was evaluated with a custom-designed collarless, wedge-shaped femoral component with titanium fiber metal pads along the anteroposterior surfaces of the stem. A polyethylene acetabular component was cemented into the pelvis. Three groups of dogs were employed: group I (n = 7) had a femoral component with an interference fit; group II (n = 6) had a component with a noninterference fit with uniform voids along the anteroposterior stem surfaces; and group III (n = 6) had a component with a noninterference fit including uniform voids filled with HAP/TCP particles. All dogs were harvested after 12 weeks of unrestricted weight bearing. Cross-section specimens from three different levels from each bone-component composite were evaluated histologically to determine the type and extent of tissue ingrowth and the percentage of peripheral bone or HAP/TCP particles adjacent to the fiber metal pad surfaces. Three other cross-section specimens, adjacent to the histological section levels of the same composites, were assessed for shear strength at the fiber metal-tissue interface and for biochemical composition of the ingrown tissue.