title: The mechanical effect of the existing cement mantle on the in-cement femoral revision.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cement-in-cement revision hip arthroplasty is an increasingly popular technique to replace a loose femoral stem which retains much of the original cement mantle. However, some concern exists regarding the retention of the existing fatigued and aged cement in such cement-in-cement revisions. This study investigates whether leaving an existing fatigued and aged cement mantle degrades the mechanical performance of a cement-in-cement revision construct.
  
  
  METHODS
  Primary cement mantles were formed by cementing a polished stem into sections of tubular steel. If in the test group, the mantle underwent conditioning in saline to simulate ageing and was subject to a fatigue of 1 million cycles. If in the control group no such conditioning or fatigue was carried out. The cement-in-cement procedure was then undertaken. Both groups underwent a fatigue of 1 million cycles subsequent to the revision procedure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Application of a Mann-Whitney test on the recorded subsidence (means: 0.51, 0.46, n=10+10, P=0.496) and inducible displacement (means: 0.38, 0.36, P=0.96) revealed that there was no statistical difference between the groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study represents further biomechanical investigation of the mechanical behaviour of cement-in-cement revision constructs. Results suggest that pre-revision fatigue and ageing of the cement may not be deleterious to the mechanical performance of the revision construct. Thus, this study provides biomechanical evidence to back-up recent successes with this useful revision technique.
authors.affiliation: Cappagh National Orthopaedic Hospital, Finglas, Dublin 11, Ireland. parnellkeeling@gmail.com
authors.forename: Parnell
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Keeling
authors.forename: Alexander B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Lennon
authors.forename: Patrick J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Kenny
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: O'Reilly
authors.forename: Patrick J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Prendergast
mesh_terms: D000268:Adhesiveness; D040761:Biomimetic Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D001843:Bone Cements / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry*; D002484:Cementation / Q000379:methods*; D055119:Elastic Modulus; D005269:Femur / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D012086:Reoperation; D013499:Surface Properties; D013718:Tensile Strength
chemical_list: D001843:Bone Cements