Intraoperative measurement of rotational stability of femoral components of total hip arthroplasty.

Abstract

High out-of-plane forces acting on the hip joint can produce important rotational micromotion of the femoral component. This micromotion at the prosthesis interface may be detrimental to the stability of the implant. In cementless femoral implants this could prevent bone ingrowth, and in the cemented component this could cause generation of particulate debris, lysis, and loosening. The introduction of the torque wrench micrometer for assessment of intraoperative femoral component stability can quantify the initial stability of primary cementless femoral components and critically evaluate the stability (at either the initial or revision arthroplasty) of both cemented and cementless femoral components. It allows the surgeon to produce a known torque in the direction and magnitude of the out-of-plane forces that load the hip in vivo.