LOOSENING OF MATT AND POLISHED CEMENTED FEMORAL STEMS

We have compared prospectively the incidence of loosening of 20 femora l stems with a matt surface with that of 20 polished stems of an other wise identical tapered, non-modular design of Exeter hip replacement. The stems were inserted using the same technique at operation and radi ographs showed no difference in the adequacy of the cement mantle or o f fixation, All the patients were reviewed regularly and none was lost to follow-up. After a minimum follow-up of nine years, four matt but no polished stems had been revised for aseptic loosening, Polished ste ms subsided slightly within the cement mantle early, but did not loose n.