Abstract
In revision surgery of the acetabulum bone defects can be filled with impacted human morsellized bone grafts. Because of a worldwide limited availability of human bone, alternatives are being considered. In this study we compared the initial stability of acetabular cups after reconstructing a cavitary defect with various compositions of impacted tricalciumphosphate-hydroxyapatite (TCP/HA) particles and mixes of TCP/HA particles and human grafts in a realistic acetabulum model. Primary cemented cups and reconstructions with impacted human cancellous grafts were used as reference. A dynamic load displaced the acetabular cups superomedially. The primary cemented cups showed the highest stability. The cups with impacted human grafts produced the most displacement. All reconstructions with the TCP/HA particles showed a high stability of the cups. However, especially when using large TCP/HA particles this was probably due to a large amount of cement penetration. Mixing TCP/HA particles with human grafts seemed to decrease cement penetration. although still a high stability was obtained. In this perspective, we concluded that TCP/HA particles might be useful as a bone graft extender in the reconstruction of acetabular bone defects.
