Factors affecting stiffness properties in impacted morsellized bone used in revision hip surgery: An experimental in vitro study

Abstract When revising loosened joint prosthesis, impacted morsellized bone is frequently used as organic scaffolding. We studied the relative influence that different bone particle size, impaction energy, and liquid content had on impacted bone stiffness. Bovine bone was morsellized in a bone mill by three grinding drums to produce bone with different chip size distribution. Next, portions of bone chips of controlled sizes were produced by a five‐leveled sieve. Layer by layer of bone are constructed into pellets by our experimental impaction method. This method allows us to vary one independent factor at a time in a controlled manner while keeping the other factors constant. Stiffness for all bone pellets were measured during impaction and loading. In earlier studies, we focused on how impaction force, number of impaction strokes, and bone liquid contents influence mechanical behavior. Here, we compare the outcome of all studies using general linear models. All five factors significantly contribute to stiffness of impacted morsellized bone. Changing bone moisture has major, while increasing the number of impaction strokes beyond five per layer has minor effect. Low water content is the main contributor to highest load stiffness. Optimal stability of impacted morsellized bone is achieved with dried and well‐graded particles. The number of heavy impaction strokes can be restricted. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 2006