Custom Hip Replacement

The manufacturing and technology company Symbios are the leaders in Custom Hip technology. The company draws on 19 years of experience

Natural Variation

Human hips vary in size, angle, bone quality, lever arm (offset), rotation and socket position.

CT Scan and pre-planning

Custom hip replacement is based on detailed CT scan images on a calibrated CT scanner accoring to a specific protocol. These images are reformatted to form a 3D model of the internal and external geometry of the hip, and indeed the whole thigh bone and pelvis.

Purpose designed software (Hip Plan), assess bone quality in all parts of the hip, the dimensional variables and creates a design for a custom hip prosthesis specific for that patient.

Fixation Points and Alignment

The new stem has specific fixation points based on CT measured bone quality zones and individual patient geometry. The stem incorporates features for longitudinal alignment.

Manufactured in Switzerland

Each stem is manufactued in Switzerland, the home of precision engineering. It is then coated with Hydroxyapatite, sterilised and packaged ready for shipment.

Socket Positioning technology

The patient's arthitic socket is also scanned, and a 3D model is mapped out. Then an exact plug fit is manufactured to fill the socket, this plug incorporates an exact alignment guide to facilitate intra- operative reproduction of the ideal socket position for that specific patient. That position is derived from the CT scan and taked into account the geometry on the thigh bone side.

Cost

Approximately £1400 more than an off the shelf uncemented hip rplacement (cost includes the CT scan)

Key advantages of Custom Hip Replacement

1. Use of sophisticated technology to significantly improve accuracy of

  • Leg length
  • Off set (lever arm power)
  • Version ( this dictates the direction in which you foot will point.
  • Socket placement
  • Bone quality assessment
  • Helps with intra-operative surgeon decision making. 

 Traditional hip replacement offers a number of increments of size, one or two head neck angles and mostly no angular choices (version). The lack of angular choices has led to the concept of modular necks to solve this (4 increments of version), however that approach adds risk by increasing the possible failure points. Custom Hip replacement reproduces a replacement hip with all the appropriate variables, there fore the muscles are at the right tension and function optimally.


Bearing Surface: Ceramic

Metal-on-metal is not used. Niether of the articulations include metal. Both artticulating Surfaces are made of Delta ceramic from Ceramtec with 36mm Ball size for most hip reconstructions. There is no additional metal sleve within the ceramic. The trunion geometry on the custom stem is designed exactly as required by ceramtec. Because the ball is always ceramic, there are no compomises as there are with the use of cobalt chrome heads. 

Ceramic-ceramic

Custom Hip Replacement.