UK-based medical technology firm Smith & Nephew has unveiled its first 3D-printed titanium hip implant at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) Annual Meeting in Orlando, US.

Redapt

The company exhibited the new Redapt revision acetabular fully porous cup with Conceloc technology at the event.

Last November, Smith & Nephew received 510(k) clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the Redapt revision acetabular fully porous cup with Conceloc technology.

The company said the Conceloc advanced porous titanium technology is an alternative to external porous coatings such as sintered beads or fiber mesh used in other uncemented implants.

Smith & Nephew global reconstruction vice president Mike Donoghue said: "We’re excited about the creative possibilities this new manufacturing process holds for surgeons and their patients.

"Bringing to market a 3D-printed titanium acetabular cup for difficult revision procedures is just one example of the potential of this remarkable technology."

The new Redapt cup has been developed for use in revision cases where compromised bone makes implant fixation and stability more difficult.

To support the growth, the 3D manufacturing process will be used to produce an entirely porous implant, which mimics the structure of cancellous bone.

New variable-angle locking screws will be used to increase implant stability and minimize micromotion after surgery.

Currently, the 3D-printed titanium hip implants are available at selected sites in the US.


Image: The new Redapt revision acetabular fully porous cup with Conceloc technology. Photo: courtesy of PRNewsFoto/Smith & Nephew.