The preparation of bone cement

Abstract

The hip joint is subjected to large, repetitive loads. It is therefore clear that the bone cement, which allows the transfer of load across the new joint, must be able to withstand the everyday loads that it will be subjected to. Improving the mechanical properties of the cement to withstand high stresses, fatigue and creep loading will reduce the chances of failure, ultimately increasing the longevity of the joint replacement. To date, work in this area has concentrated on improving the mechanical properties of bone cement through improved bone cement mixing techniques. In the next issue we will be covering the effect that the design of the mixer and vacuum mixing has on improving the mechanical properties, such as the strength, fatigue and creep resistance, of the bone cement.