History of the "Clemson Hip"
as written by Dr. Andreas von Recum, June 30, 1988
Over the past twenty years bioengineering at Clemson University became known for the "Clemson Hip". Since this term might imply a commercially available product, and since we have been asked several times to recommenid it to patients, I feel urged to explain the facts and circumstances that may have led to the saga of the "'Clemson Hip". During the late sixties, faculty in the Department of Ceramic Engineering initiated research on bone and joint replacement materials. Under the leadership of Samuel Hulbert, pioneering work was undertaken to introduce calcium aluminate as a new biomaterial and to prove a novel concept of implant fixation in the patient. This research had several major effects. In Clemson, a separate bioengineering department was formed which now has over 45 graduate students. Worldwide biomaterials scientists and physicians came to Clemson annually to share their results. Starting in 1968 with 40 participants, this annual meeting quickly outgrew Clemson's facilities and has now over 1,000 participants. Clemson's faculty initiated the formation of a professional Biomaterials Society in 1975 during the 5th Clemson Meeting. After many countries initiated their own national societies, an International Society was begun in 1980. Clemson University's President awards the Clemson Award to the world's most prominent biomaterials scientists annually. This year President Lennon asked a Bioengineering faculty member to represent him at the Clemson Award Ceremony held in Kyoto, Japan. The most important result of Clemson University's research, however, was in the field of orthopaedic medicine worldwide where standard surgical joint replacement procedures using bone cement as a fixation method are now being replaced by methods using cementless prostheses. Most currently existing porous hip prostheses are based on Clemson University's research results obtained in the late sixties. Clemson's faculty had not developed and marketed a special hip joint product under the name of "Clemson Hip", but rather many currently marketed hip joints are based on principles developed here.
Research by other faculty performed subsequent to Hulbert' s team further illumLnated tissue/implant interactions and developed ideas and patents for prosthetic joints (Sauer, Klawitter, Park, von Recum, and Cooke) and other implants. Specifically Dr. Park improved a hip joint prosthesis which received worldwide interest. Royalties from this idea and patent represent the first patent related income for Clemson University. Today prosthetic hip joints are still a major part of the departmental research. In addition to the ongoing biocompatibility research, a major project was launched three years ago to develop novel manufacturing concepts to allow over-night manufacturing of custom fitted prosthetic hip joints. The feasibility of a CAD/CAM artificial intelligence controlled method has been successfully demonstrated this past spring. That project received ge!nerous support from the State of South Carolina and related industry. It is our hope that it will lead to South Carolina based manufacturing plants specialized in custom made implants for replacement of any body part or function. The "Clemson Hip" represents the significant intellectual contribution that a small rural, agricultural and technical university has made worldwide on today's orthopaedic surgery.
Research by other faculty performed subsequent to Hulbert' s team further illumLnated tissue/implant interactions and developed ideas and patents for prosthetic joints (Sauer, Klawitter, Park, von Recum, and Cooke) and other implants. Specifically Dr. Park improved a hip joint prosthesis which received worldwide interest. Royalties from this idea and patent represent the first patent related income for Clemson University. Today prosthetic hip joints are still a major part of the departmental research. In addition to the ongoing biocompatibility research, a major project was launched three years ago to develop novel manufacturing concepts to allow over-night manufacturing of custom fitted prosthetic hip joints. The feasibility of a CAD/CAM artificial intelligence controlled method has been successfully demonstrated this past spring. That project received ge!nerous support from the State of South Carolina and related industry. It is our hope that it will lead to South Carolina based manufacturing plants specialized in custom made implants for replacement of any body part or function. The "Clemson Hip" represents the significant intellectual contribution that a small rural, agricultural and technical university has made worldwide on today's orthopaedic surgery.
