The success of orthopaedic joint replacement surgery depends on the skill of the surgeon making precise bone cuts and fitting the implant to the patient's bone. In hip replacement surgery, the proximal femur currently is manually broached prior to implant insertion. However, precision fit is difficult to achieve with manual instrumentation, and manual methods lengthen the operative time and induce surgeon fatigue. This project will develop power broach instrumentation for the proximal femur, to precisely shape the bone and allow a 1:1 fit with the implant. A prototype of the concept has been developed; this project will (i) validate broach design concept, (2) define the requirement for power insertion, and (3) quantify the improvement in fit as compared with current manual techniques.Awardee's statement of the potential commercial applications of the research: The total U. S. market in 1990 was 207,000 hip replacements, and an annual overall growth of 3-5% requiring an average of 5,000 instruments and have at least one instrumentation set. A license would cover a hip system and include 5-10 broach bodies and ancillary instrumentation, with a cost of approximately $1,500 (OEM cost). Assuming a market share of only 10% (one license agreement), annual revenues of S750,000 could be generated. Additional revenue potential includes an initial, one-time design cost (to manufacture), and broach resharpening service (which the industry currently does not provide.National Cancer Institute (NCI)
