The R3^◊ system was designed to address today’s active patient’s needs by providing surgeons flexibility to tailor the implant to each patient’s requirements. The R3^◊ system was also designed for the needs of tomorrow's patient with a universal shell that can accommodate future bearings and fixation options.

The US launch will be in March 2008 at AAOS.

The R3^◊ shells were designed with a taper in order to accommodate hard bearings. Due to the challenges that soft tissue and osteophytes may present, the axial poly lock was located further inside the shell and locks in two grooves around the circumference of the shell. There are also 12 anti-rotational tabs that engage around the rim of the shell. This allows for repositioning of the liner in the shell.

The poly liner only requires an impaction force of 60 - 120 lbs depending on the size of the shell. That is almost half of the impaction force required in the REFLECTION system.

The poly liner push out values range from 200-270 lbf depending on the size of the shell compared to 80 lbf for the REFLECTION system.

As a system designed for more active patients, the R3 system will launch with XLPE liners only. There will also be four liner options available at launch: 0º, 20º, 0º +4 and 20º +4.

There are three grooves in the R3 shell. The two below the taper are the axial locking mechanism for the XLPE bearing. The one positioned within the anti-rotation tabs is part of the locking mechanism for the constrained liner that is currently being designed.

All three bearings sit flush with the face of the shell when fully seated (with exception of the lateralized liners). This can be checked visually or by running a finger around the circumference of the shell.

One of the great features of the REFLECTION system is that the liner can be removed and repositioned. The R3 system was designed with the same feature. The R3 Surgical Technique states that the poly liner can be removed and repositioned once without compromising the locking mechanism.

R3 shells are available with STIKTITE porous coating. STIKTITE coating contains sintered asymmetric Titanium grains as opposed to uniformly shaped sintered beads offered on the REFLECTION system. This provides a more “scratchy” feel while being implanted. STIKTITE coating utilizes the same sintering process as RoughCoat, it is not a sprayed application as with plasma spray.

The R3 system will initially launch as a primary acetabular system with NO HOLE and THREE HOLE shell options. HA will not be available for sale in the US. The shell sizes available at launch are 40 - 68mm.

Yes, there will be a constrained liner for the R3 system. It is currently under development.