Stem cell therapy for improved fixation of cementless total hip replacements

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Through modern surgical advancements, total hip replacements (THR) have become one of the most successful implant procedures to date. Even though long-term success rates are high, the staggering number of THR proceduresper annum (~200,000 in the United States alone) results in thousands of failed implants each year. Most implants fail through aseptic loosening and implant instability. Earlier implant designs utilized synthetic bone cements that elicited a localized inflammatory response and stimulated bone resorption. In response, physicians shifted towards cementless implants-especially in active younger patients-and this implant design is now used in a majority of THR procedures. Unlike cemented implants, cementless implants achieve fixation by press-fitting porous titanium into bone. As such, adequate bone ingrowth is critical for patient recovery. Materials such as hydroxyapatite hasten bone ingrowth, but these coatings may promote osteolysis due to degradatio