Computer assisted orthopaedic surgery in total hip arthroplasty with alumina alumina pairing

During total hip arthroplasty (THA), acetabular abduction is often constrained by available bone coverage and tribological properties of the bearing surface (i.e. ceramic-ceramic pairing), while anteversion of the femoral component may be dictated by the anatomical geometry of the shaft. For each combination of acetabular abduction and femoral anteversion, there is an optimum range of acetabular anteversion that allows the potential for a maximum range of motion without prosthetic impingement which may cause alumina fracture. A three-dimensional computer model that takes into account implant design can be used to determine preoperatively the optimum implant position. By coupling three-dimensional preoperative planning and virtual kinematic analysis with the accurate execution of the operation using a computer-assisted navigation system for implant positioning we expect to take full advantage of advanced technology in orthopaedic surgery.