Ceramic coating improves tibial component fixation in total knee arthroplasty

Forty uncemented total knee arthroplasties (36 patients) were randomly allo cated to a Miller-Galante II prosthesis with or without hydroxyapatite/tric alcium phosphate (HA/TCP) coating on the titanium fiber mesh on the undersu rface of the tibial component. The patients were followed for 2 years with repeated radiostereometric examinations. After 2 years, the HA/TCP tibial c omponents displayed smaller anterior-posterior tilt and less subsidence. Th e mean value of maximal total point motion was small: 0.5 mm in both groups . At 24 months, there were more radiolucent lines under the tibial tray and around the stem in the uncoated group, but the clinical results did not di ffer. HA/TCP coating on the undersurface of the tibial component improved t he stability and seemed to improve the quality of the interface between the tibial component and the bone.