Converge® Porous Acetabular System
Where Technology and Experience Meet
Built on 15 years of successful clinical results with Cancellous-Structured Titanium™ (CSTi™) coated shells, Converge is a comprehensive system designed to accommodate virtually every primary or revision press-fit surgical scenario. The clinical success of CSTi porous coating—and the APR® Cup in particular is well documented.
The Converge System features advanced bearing technologies Metasul® metal-on-metal and Durasul™ highly cross-linked polyethylene designed to dramatically reduce wear-related complications. Designed for optimum congruency with the ability to effectively seal the shell, the Converge System addresses critical concerns about stability, wear, fixation and maximum range of motion.
The Converge System offers a unique spectrum of six different shell styles and a broad range of sizes, from 39-81mm. The Converge System is also compatible with all Zimmer’s femoral hip system components, and is accompanied by a complete set of easy-to-use instrumentation to ensure safe and reproducible implantation.
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Thermo-CleanTM Manufacturing Process
Converge shells are manufactured using the Thermo-Clean Process, a process very similar to the one applied to the APR Cup for over 15 years. The core idea behind the Thermo-Clean Process is that all machining steps occur before the application of the CSTi porous coating to ensure that the shells are not exposed to any machining fluids. The flow chart above illustrates the manufacturing process through which forged titanium alloy blanks become packaged Converge shells.
Independent scientists from the Cambridge Polymer Group in Boston measured residue levels on random samples of implants that were manufactured using the Thermo-Clean Process and confirmed that this process does not leave any measurable levels of machine oil on the implant.
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Special care has been taken to maintain the extremely high shell/liner congruency even after the high-temperature porous coating sintering process. With Converge, you can see evidence of this by the visible crystalline structure of the titanium alloy on the inner diameter and grit-blasted section of the outer diameter. This is caused by extreme temperatures(>1500°F) during the thermal sintering application of the CSTi porous coating. The surface roughness is not affected. |
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Durasul Highly Crosslinked Polyethylene
Near Zero Wear
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Durasul highly crosslinked polyethylene, which has shown near zero wear on a physiological hip simulator1,2. Durasul technology enables use of head diameters up to 44mm, helping maximize range of motion and stability. |
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Large Diameter Head System (LDH)
Due to Durasul’s extreme wear properties, larger heads with diameters up to 44mm can be used4. Larger diameter heads more closely replicate a patient’s anatomy, enhance stability and increase range of motion. CoCr Heads are available in ID sizes 22mm, 28mm, 32mm, 38mm, and 44mm in combination with Durasul highly crosslinked polyethylene.
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References
1 D’Lima D, Hermida JC, Chan PC, Colwell CW. Evaluation of Wear of Two Different Cross-Linked Polyethylene Materials in a Hip Simulator, AAOS 2001 Poster Session.
2 Li S. Comparison of Four Highly Crosslinked UHMWP, Harvard Hip Course, Boston, Mass., October 2001.
3 Dorr LD, Wan Z, Longjohn DB, Dubois B, Murken R. Total hip Arthroplasty with use of the Metasul metal-on-metal articulation. Four to seven year results, J Bone Joint Surg Am, 2000 Jun; 82(6):789-98.
4 Muratoglu OK, Bragdon CR, O’Connor D, Perinchief RS, Estok DM, Jasty M, Harris WH. Larger Diameter Femoral Heads Used in Conjunction with a Highly Cross-linked Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene, J Arthroplasty, 2001, 16(8), Suppl. 1:24-30.
