Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Nowadays, biological hip prosthesis coated by hydroxyapatite has been widely used in clinical treatment.
OBJECTIVE: To review relevant literatures and to summarize the biological characteristics and clinical application of hydroxyapatite coated hip prosthesis.
METHODS: PubMed database were retrieved by computer for articles published from 1988 to 2011 that related to the biological characteristics and clinical application of hydroxyapatite coated hip prosthesis. The key words were “hydroxyapatite, hip arthroplasty, hip prosthesis”. Articles published earlier, repetitive and similar studies were excluded and 29 literatures were included to review.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Hydroxyapatite is a kind of calcium phosphate that has excellent biocompatibility and bioactivity. By deal with the surface, it can form a thin layer on the metal surface, this approach can greatly improve the osseointegration of pressed prosthesis, it can make the prosthesis bony fixed until the bone growth into the porous surface of the prosthesis. The hydroxyaptite coated uncemented hip prosthesis can promote bone growth in early implant stage and permit early weight-bearing, leading to a stable and reliable mechanical and biologic fixation. The incidence of long-term complications such as aseptic loosening, periprosthetic osteolysis and prosthesis subsidence is not higher than those of non-hydroxyaptite coated hip prosthesis. However, there is no consensus in the thickness, particle size, crystallinity of the hydroxyaptite coating material, so the further research and discussion are required.