Abstract
Current orthopaedic implant technology focuses on fixation by osseointegration to maximise the implant longevity and reduce the need for burdensome and expensive revision surgery. In this respect, porous Ti coated implants, which enable bone ingrowth into the porous structure and the establishment of biological anchoring of the implant, are of interest. In previous work a new powder metallurgical processing route was reported for the application of porous Ti coatings on Ti alloy substrates by electrophoretic deposition (EPD) of TiH2 powder suspensions. To validate the function of these coatings for potential clinical applications, the early peri-implant bone response was evaluated in vivo in a rabbit model. The results clearly demonstrate bone ingrowth in porous coatings with pore channels down to 10 μm, as opposed to the minimum pore size of 50–100 μm commonly claimed in the literature. Moreover, the observed inter-connectivity with surrounding cortical bone confirmed the envisaged mechanical interlocking of the implant.
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