The Anatomic Basis of Femoral Component Design

The shape of the femoral canal is variable, much more variable, in fact, than most contemporary designs of femoral components would suggest or can accommodate. In the face of this variability, line-to-line or surface-to-surface contact is not expected between cementless implants and much of the endosteal surface. It also is apparent that changes in implant design are still needed if the normal biomechanics of the hip joint are to be restored in each patient and if component fixation is to be optimized. Most cementless components aim to achieve proximal load transfer to the femoral canal. However, increasing clinical evidence suggests that distal filling of the femur also is necessary to minimize the incidence of postoperative symptoms, particularly in revision procedures. If this is indeed the case, more accommodating designs of femoral components are needed that will enable proximal and distal fitting at the femoral canal so that stable fixation may be achieved regardless of variations in bone geometry.