Introduction of new bone cements into clinical practice should include radiostereometric studies.
A prospective randomised radiostereometric study was performed, comparing SmartSet HV and Palacos R acrylic bone cements (without antibiotics) using third-generation cementing techniques in primary total hip arthroplasty. Thirty-five patients (36 hips) undergoing Charnley total hip arthroplasty were randomised to receive either of the two cements and were followed with repeated clinical, radiographic and radiostereometric examinations over 24 months. Twenty-seven patients (28 hips) attended 2 years postoperatively.
The mean distal translation observed was -0.15 mm for SmartSet HV and -0.16 mm for Palacos R. The mean rotation around the longitudinal axis was 0.9 degrees for SmartSet HV and 1.2 degrees for Palacos R. The Merle d'Aubigne Postel score was the maximum of 18 points for all patients in both groups.
No statistically significant difference in stem fixation with use of SmartSet HV and Palacos R was found at 2-year follow-up.