Acetabular preparation in cementless revision total hip arthroplasty

The rationale for and experience with the use of a hemispherical, cementless, microporous socket (Harris-Galante prosthesis) are presented as an approach to acetabular revision arthroplasty. Advantages are noted in preservation of existing bone, ease of rigid fixation, and bone grafting with either lyophylized particle allograft or autograft. The early results of a series of 75 sockets show no loss of fixation, mild to major resorption of non-contained bone graft, and favorable roentgenographic appearance of contained bone graft. In bone-grafted regions, a high percentage of lucencies at the graft-porous interface implies a lack of bone ingrowth. The authors were unable to characterize any roentgenographic behavioral differences between allograft or autograft. The approach is successful in severely deficient acetabulae, especially of the Type III combined cavitary and segmental medial wall deficiency.