A porous metal system for joint replacement surgery.

A porous coated chrome cobalt system has been developed to provide long term stabilization in joint replacement surgery. The pore sizes are 50 to 100 microns, thus ensuring sufficient fatigue strength for use in high load bearing situations. Extensive in vitro and in vivo studies have been performed, and a five year follow-up of porous coated total shoulder prostheses has failed to reveal any evidence of loosening. The early results of porous coated hip implants is encouraging.