Femoral Cementing Techniques: Current Trends in the UK

Abstract

INTRODUCTION The results of a survey conducted amongst hip surgeons in Great Britain on the use of bone cement and femoral cementing techniques are reported. MATERIALS AND METHODS A postal questionnaire was sent out to the members of the British Orthopaedic Association for their opinion on cement usage and femoral cementing techniques in primary hip arthroplasty. RESULTS A majority of surgeons use high viscosity cement (82%) and cement containing antibiotics (77%). Almost a fifth of the respondents were unaware of the place of storage of the cement and of the ambient theatre temperature. Over two-thirds experienced inconsistencies in the handling of cement and attributed this to inconsistent theatre temperature (40%) and storage temperature (14%). A majority of the surgeons followed the ‘modern’ femoral cementing technique of vacuum mixing (94%), plugging the femoral canal (98%), pulsed lavage (87%), retrograde cement introduction (95%), use of stem centralisers (62%) and cement pressurisation. Four-fifths of the surgeons used time as a guide for cement and stem insertion rather than consistency of the cement. CONCLUSIONS Though most of the surgeons follow contemporary cementing techniques, it appears that inconsistency of the working properties of the cement is a major impediment. Many surgeons are also unaware of the variables that can influence polymerisation and working time of the cement.