Re-design of the Exeter V40 long-stem femoral component for ease of removal

Abstract

Clinical experience shows that removal of the Exeter long-stem femoral component (220 mm, 240 mm, 260 mm) of total hip arthroplasty is extremely difficult, often requiring splitting of the femur. To identify the reason for this, measurements of stem geometry and force required to pull the stems out of the cement mantle were conducted on three original Exeter long-stem and one standard femoral components. All implants required an initial force of approximately 4 kN for release from the cement. The long-stem components then required much larger forces and hence much higher expenditure of energy to pull them clear of the cement. This was attributed to the reverse taper seen on the nominally cylindrical distal section of the long-stem components. Following re-design of the manufacturing process to ensure the taper continued to the implant's distal tip, four further implants were tested. These demonstrated the requirement for initial cement release but then required no further energy expenditure similar to the standard stem. This study clearly demonstrated that the original difficulty in removing these long stems was owing to the manufacturing process resulting in a reverse taper on the distal stem. The adoption of recommended manufacturing changes to ensure the taper continues to the distal tip removed this difficulty.