SPS Modular Prosthesis – Symbios® UK Ltd

Symbios Orthopedie SA was established at its Swiss manufacturing base (Yverdon les Bains) in the late 1980s. Manufacturing from CT scans and plain x Ray films, a custom hip prosthesis protocol for complex hip anatomies/ dysplasias was subsequently developed. Some 9000 custom hip prostheses manufactured by Symbios have subsequently been implanted since 1989. Wettstein et Al (CORR,2005) reported 100% survivorship of their custom implants at a mean follow up of 94.9 months and concluded that the technology was an interesting alternative in young patients and worthy of further exploration. Flecher et Al, Revue de Chirurgie Orthop餩que, 2006, which included 257 custom implants, 174 of which were dysplastic, reviewed at a mean of 82 months in a young active population, reported a survivorship of 94.7% at 13 years.

Drawing upon this experience, the SPS off the shelf system was designed and developed from this vast databank of CT scans, offering the means of mapping both the intramedullary and extramedullary characteristics of the femur in order to optimise the fit and fill principle of the anatomic design criteria. Mouttet, whose experience with the SPS stem began in 1993, reported a survivorship rate of 98.8% at 5 years in 176 patients (data on file).

In order to facilitate the restoration of the exact various hip parameters, including centre of rotation, offset, range of motion, minimising the risks of impingement, an evolution of the anatomic SPS prosthesis is now available as a multi- modular trunion/ cone option- The SPS Modular Prosthesis (Special Prosthesis from Symbios), the exact same stem geometry as the SPS anatomic stem reported above being faithfully maintained. The rational behind the development of femoral components with ante/ retro, varus/ valgus modular exchange allows many of the features of a CAD prosthesis to be captured in a convenient and affordable off the shelf offering.

The SPS Modular stem in combination with Metal/ Metal or Ceramic/ Ceramic large hard bearing surfaces reflect current thinking behind optimal tribology young active patients. The operating surgeon is thus presented with unprecedented choice as he strives to reconstruct the joint.