Investigation of characteristics at the stem cement interface in total hip replacement

Aseptic loosening at the stem cement interface has been noted as a prominent failure mode in cemented
total hip replacement. It can be attributed to a tissue reaction to particulate debris generated by wear of the
components. Wear can occur not only at the articulating surface but also at other load bearing interfaces
due to relative micromotion. The stem cement interface has been consistently cited as a weak link. In the
present study, characteristics at this interface were investigated through a series of pull out tests and a
fretting wear simulation. The static shear strength was compared across a range of commercially available
bone cements, with the result being higher than other studies. Fretting wear was successfully reproduced in
vitro, which complied well with retrieval investigations. The research has gained a deep insight into the
characteristics at the stem cement interface.