Insert for Hip Implant Cleared by FDA

A new hip bearing that will help to eliminate polyethylene wear, a major cause of implant loosening, has been cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The new bearing is a metal insert that replaces the traditional polyethylene insert that mates with a metal femoral head.

The insert is the product of Encore Orthopedics, Inc. (Austin, TX, USA), a subsidiary of Encore Medical Corp. and is intended for use with the company's acetabular shell and any of its hip stems. Encore is pursuing another innovation in the field of alternative bearings, which is a ceramic/ceramic hip articulation and a ceramic knee femoral component.

"Several years ago, we made the decision to pursue alternative bearings to replace polyethylene rather than jump on the bandwagon of modifying poly, which historically has not been successful. This approval is the first fruit of these efforts and we feel that this provides Encore an extraordinary opportunity to increase our sales,” said J.D. Webb, Jr., vice president of research and development at Encore.