ABSTRACT
Most clinicians and researchers in the field of implant fixation would probably agree that long-term success of an arthroplasty depends upon firm fixation of the implant to the host skeleton. Although no precise definition of ‘‘firm fixation’’exists, conceptually, one may identify two critical phases: establishment and maintenance of fixation. The importance of each of these two phases may vary considerably depending upon whether implant stabilization is achieved mechanically or biologically.
