CHARACTERIZATION OF CAVITIES CREATED BY TWO ACETABULAR REAMER DESIGNS

Introduction Long term acetabular component fixation is dependent on bone ingrowth, which is affected by initial stability and the contact area between the bone and acetabular component. Mismatch between the component and cavity size has been shown to be one reason for component loosening. Furthermore, the potential of acetabular fracture during insertion of oversized components is larger than line-to-line components. An ideal cavity preparation would be a true hemispherical cavity that can provide maximum contact area between the shell and bone while also achieving adequate press fit for implant initial stability. The goal of this study was to characterize the cavity morphology produced by a commercially available reamer and compare it to a new reamer design. Materials & Methods 36mm and 52mm reamers (n=6) were selected from conventional reamers (Stryker, Mahwah, NJ), which have successful clinical history exceeding 20 years, and Smooth Cut Reamers (Tecomet, Warsaw, IN and Stryker, Mahwah, NJ), which are...