The mechanical, histological, and ultrasonic analysis of a commercially pure titanium surface as a bone implant material

The optimal surface and texture of orthopaedic implants for total joint arthroscopy continues to be investigated. The purpose of this study was to compare the mechanical shear strength (mechanical testing) and bone response of an ARC deposited commercially pure titanium (CPTi) surface with and without a plasma sprayed hydroxyapatite (HA) coating using a canine modular hemiarthroplasty model. The bone response to the implants was evaluated with qualitative histology, quantitative histomorphometry, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and scanning acoustic microscopy (SAM). SAM is a non-destructive method for measuring the acoustic impedance (which is directly related to the elastic stiffness) of the remodeled bone.