Comparison of bone mineral density changes around short, metaphyseal-fitting, and conventional cementless anatomical femoral components.

We investigated the incidence and degree of stress shielding and clinical and radiographic results in 2 groups of patients. Fifty patients (60 hips) in each group were enrolled for a randomized study. One group received a short, metaphyseal-fitting femoral component and another group received a conventional metaphyseal- and diaphyseal-filling femoral component. The mean follow-up was 3.35 years in both groups. Bone mineral density was significantly increased in femoral zone 1 but slightly decreased in zone 7 in the short, metaphyseal-fitting stem group. In the conventional metaphyseal- and diaphyseal-fitting stem group, bone mineral density was markedly decreased in both zones 1 and 7. Clinical and radiographic results were similar between the 2 groups. No hip in either group required revision of the component.