The Bicontact Hip Arthroplasty System

Implant Development

S. Weller

“Constant, critical exchange of experience and opinion in the area of clinical and basic research is an essential requirement for progress!”

Numerous new constructive ideas and further developments in the area of hip arthroplasty have been communicated in recent decades, implemented and introduced into clinical practice. Looking back at the basic concepts, materials and types of prosthesis, they have led to fundamental and visible improvements.

Cement fixation of the prosthetic parts, initiated by Charnley in 1959/60, had a fundamental overall influence on joint replacement and promoted its clinical use with additional introduction of the “low friction principle” in joint replacement.

A second era of joint replacement, so to speak, was instituted in recent decades with the “cementless biological implantation technique”. Many very unpleasant experiences with sometimes difficult situations after cemented hip replacements with extensive bone defects and abnormal perfusion, favour cementless implantation, whenever possible, especially in younger patients who have a longer life expectancy.

Even if the basic problem of permanent prosthetic fixation - i.e., a long-term connection between a “living tissue and a dead material” - has not yet been solved in principle: it will continue to be necessary to choose between and decide on cemented and cementless implantation, as far as possible intraoperatively, depending on the individual situation, particularly the patient's age and life expectancy, the quality and bearing capacity of the bone.