ENGINEERING

Viewpoint: Yes, acrylic bone cement has been used successfully in arthroplasties for several decades.

Viewpoint: No, newer materials such as bioceramics will eventually offer a safer and more durable anchor for arthroplasties.

The total hip replacement (THR) operation, which can restore mobility to people with damaged or arthritic joints, is one of the glowing success stories in the history of modern medicine. Rather than repairing or reconstructing the ball-and-cup joint of the hip, either of which is a very difficult operation, the entire unit is replaced with two artificial prostheses. This procedure has also been successfully applied to other joints such as fingers and knees, and the operation is without complications in more than 95% of cases.

However, there have been doubts...