Determination of periprosthetic bone density with the DEXA method after implantation of custom-made uncemented femoral stems.

Implantation of a total hip replacement leads to resorption of bone, especially in the upper femoral shaft and this depends mainly on the design of the stem, and also on the survival time of the implant. Density of the periprosthetic bone was examined with the DEXA method in both femurs in 27 patients at a mean of 21 months after implantation of uncemented custom-made femoral stems. A loss of bone density between 5% and 21% was found which was independent of the survival time of the implant. The maximum decrease was at the upper medial part of the calcar. The negligible loss of bone density, compared to other reports, favours the use of a computer tomography assisted custom-made femoral stem.