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Metal cups, embedded in a cast resin, have been used in an appropriate adhesion test setup.Ceramic inserts made of BIOLOX ® delta were assembled with the cups by applying threedifferent methods:1. three inserts pressed-in manually2. three inserts statically pressed-in by use of a 10 kg weight (100 N)3. three inserts impacted manually with a light axial tap (peak force measured duringimpaction: 2800 N)4. A ball head (diameter 36 mm, BIOLOX ® delta) is set into the insert calotte which iscontaminated with 3 ml of a 25% Di-H 2 O-new born calf serum solution. Performing thetest a 20 kg falling weight (equivalent to a swinging leg) is accelerated to a velocity of 3m*s -1 and is suddenly pulling the ball head out of the insert. The adhesion forces actingat the moment of separation of head and insert have been recorded by a load cell fixedbetween embedding pot and supporting frameFigure 1: Experimental set-up for pulling the ceramic ball head out of a ceramic insertRESULTS:The taper connection of every insert pressed-in manually or pressed-in statically by a mass of10 kg failed, the inserts were pulled out off their appropriate metal cups, see figure 2 a-b.The adhesion forces caused a strong attachment between ceramic insert and ball head. Thestrength of the taper connection of impacted parts withstood the adhesion forces. The impactionforces generated by a slight tap could be evaluated as sufficient, that the ceramic inserts remainin their metal cups, see figure 2 c.Figure 2 a-c High speed pictures made in the moment of separation: insert pressed-inmanually; b: insert pressed-in with 100 N; c: insert impacted: insert remains in the metalcup!The parts pressed-in manually or with 100 N force fail at low tension forces of appr. 80 N, seefigure 3. The tests with the impacted inserts show maximum adhesion forces of 150..200 N.Figure 3: Maximum tension forces measured during separation of ball head and insertDISCUSSION:The results show that manual pressing-in of inserts does not lead to sufficient connectionstrength. Not even pressing-in with 100 N (comparable to a mass of 10 kg) assures a secureconnection. Only a slight axial tap using a plastic impactor after inserting the ceramic insertdelivers sufficient locking strength of the parts. In conclusion it is necessary that everyimplanted insert should be impacted with at least one slight axial tap using the plastic impactor.REFERENCES:1 :Beaver, McCormick, Kop; Fractures in Misaligned Ceramic Acetabular Liners: A LaboratoryStudy; 7 th International Biolox Symposium 2002; Thieme Verlagfile:///E|/ISTA2010-Abstracts.htm[12/7/2011 3:15:47 PM]