The Orthopaedic Research Unit has continued to make strong progress in translational medicine. We have characterised in detail the mechanical response of morcellised bone graft combined with hydroxyapatite graft substitute and its effect on femoral cortical strain and implant stability. This work has provided good evidence for the use of this approach to improve the biomechanical properties of the graft and to ameliorate problems of bone graft supply. This combination of bone graft and graft substitute has been evaluated in impaction grafting of the acetabulum and has resulted in good stability and graft incorporation at a mean follow up time of 5 years.
Further evidence of the compliant acetabular implants used in the Cambridge Hip system has been obtained from post-mortem retrievals showing good implant bone bonding to the hydroxyapatite-coated components for up to 7 years following implantation. The basic science underpinning advances in bone repair and bonding using bioceramics has continued with further evidence of the benefits of silicon substitution. Pre-clinical evaluation of a tissue engineering approach to cartilage repair using osteochondral grafts has been followed by encouraging early clinical results. This approach has been extended to tendon and ligament repair and has resulted in the award of grants from Merck KGaA and the NIHR, through the i4i programme, to evaluate growth factor modified cartilage repair and a tissue engineering approach to meniscus repair respectively. Further evidence for the potential use of growth factors with the biomimetic materials used in these studies has also been obtained.
