Behrokh Eskandari

• MEng (Hons) Mechanical Engineering with Bioengineering
• How can a blunt acetabular reamer be identified?

Most total hip replacements are remarkably successful but a small number do fail earlier than expected.  When the cup of a total hip replacement is inserted the pelvis is prepared using an acetabular reamer – think of a cheese grater combined with half a tennis ball.  As the reamer is used it becomes blunt, generating heat and killing bone.  This is important as it is this bone which is used to achieve fixation.  How can we determine when the reamer has become blunt?  Working with orthopaedic colleagues at North Tyneside Hospital laboratory tests on surrogate bone will be undertaken. 

Funding source: Newcastle University