How to “replace the old with the new” in femoral head necrosis

  The femoral head and acetabulum form the hip joint, which is a relatively simple structure and function as a motor hub linking the trunk to the lower extremities. The human joint is a living organ, and the artificial materials used to manufacture the prosthesis are very demanding.  Due to modern medical science advances, coupled with modern material mechanics and manufacturing processes are highly developed, there are sufficient conditions to choose suitable materials to imitate the function of the replacement. For fractures of the femoral neck and ischemic necrosis of the femoral head that are difficult to heal, it has long been possible to carry out “old for new” surgery.  The human joint is a living organ, and the artificial material used to manufacture the prosthesis is a substitute, which is very demanding. The selected material must first of all be non-toxic to the human body, and human tissue has good compatibility. In addition, it must also have a certain strength, abrasion and corrosion resistance, and adapt to the internal environment of the human body.  There are many materials used to manufacture artificial joints, including stainless steel, titanium, titanium alloy, cobalt-chromium-molybdenum alloy, carbon, plastic, ceramic and jade. Currently, the most used are cobalt-chromium-molybdenum alloy, titanium alloy, polyethylene plastic and bioceramics. In recent years, the application of plasma spraying technology, the high strength, abrasion resistance, good insulation, biocompatibility, and can form a solid bond with bone tissue of bioceramics, sprayed on the surface of titanium alloy joint blanks to make a new joint, taking the advantages of metal and ceramic materials, to overcome the shortcomings of both. After clinical trials, the results were good.  Although the replacement artificial femoral head, due to the lack of living joint ligaments, tendons and other soft tissues, the activity function is slightly worse than the normal joint, but the pain symptoms are completely eliminated or significantly relieved, and the activity function is also improved, the effect is quite satisfactory.