Opportunities, announcements and talking points from the STL community…
Thrilled to share our latest publication in The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery!
Our team has just published a study titled “Assessment of Custom-Made Acetabular Implants for Revision of Pelvic Discontinuity and Severe Bone Loss” which evaluates long-term outcomes of 3D-printed, patient-specific acetabular implants in some of the most complex hip revision cases.
Custom-made 3D-printed implants demonstrated excellent cumulative survivorship, even in cases with pelvic discontinuity and massive bone loss.
These implants enabled significant functional improvements post-surgery, supporting stability where conventional options often fail.
Detailed preoperative planning and engineering collaboration were crucial to achieving reliable implant positioning and osseointegration.
Revision hip arthroplasty for patients with severe acetabular defects is one of the most challenging scenarios in orthopaedic surgery. Custom implants harnessing additive manufacturing offer a promising solution to restore biomechanics, improve patient outcomes, and potentially redefine the reconstructive armamentarium.
Join our team: fully funded PhD opportunity
We are inviting applications for a fully funded PhD studentship focused on optimising revision hip arthroplasty planning, based within the UCL Department of Mechanical Engineering in collaboration with the Surgical Technology Lab (RNOH/UCL).
Revision hip surgery is one of the most complex areas of orthopaedics. This project will explore new approaches to surgical planning by combining advanced imaging, 3D modelling and computational methods to help improve outcomes for patients with major hip defects.
We’re looking for a highly motivated and ambitious candidate with an interest in:
orthopaedic engineering
medical image analysis
biomechanics
computer-assisted surgery
You’ll work closely with surgeons and engineers at UCL and the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, joining a multidisciplinary team developing the next generation of personalised surgical planning tools.
This fully funded position is open to UK and international applicants.
Strong papers showcased at ISTA 2025
At ISTA (International Society for Technology in Arthroplasty) 2025 in Rome this year, research teams from the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital (RNOH), University College London (UCL), presented new findings aimed at improving total hip arthroplasty (THA) planning and outcomes.
Highlights of the work included:
• Statistical shape models that analyse sex-specific variations in proximal femoral anatomy, offering improved prediction of prosthetic femoral version and stem fit.
• A multi-modal imaging workflow that combines 3D computed tomography with standing and seated EOS imaging to capture functional spinopelvic orientation, addressing limitations of static, supine imaging.
• Patient-specific acetabular implant designs that maximise host bone contact while reducing the need for bone removal during complex revision procedures.
Collectively, these projects demonstrate ongoing progress toward more precise, biomechanically informed, and personalised THA solutions
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RNOH Introduces Movendo Robotic System to Advance AI-Enhanced Muscle Health Research
The Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital (RNOH) is the first UK centre to host Movendo Technology’s robotic system for lower-limb muscle assessment and neuromuscular training, strengthening its biomechanical and musculoskeletal research capabilities.
The system supports interdisciplinary work led by Anna Di Laura and Johann Henckel at RNOH, with Alister Hart at UCL. Their programme combines advanced MRI, robotics, and AI to analyse muscle fat infiltration, lean tissue ratios, and patterns of degeneration in both healthy and pathological cohorts.
By integrating robotic measures of strength, endurance, and coordination with MRI-based biomarkers, the team aims to deepen understanding of functional decline and recovery, improve patient stratification, and inform personalised rehabilitation.
The arrival of the hunova platform marks a significant step toward clinically translatable tools for monitoring musculoskeletal ageing, disease progression, and exercise-based improvement, reinforcing RNOH and UCL’s commitment to technology-driven orthopaedic research.
EFORT Congress in Lyon
The team delivered four oral presentations and one poster at the European Federation of National Associations of Orthopaedics and Traumatology (EFORT) Congress.
Their contributions covered a broad spectrum of cutting-edge research areas, including:
Custom implant design and development, highlighting innovative approaches to patient-specific solutions.
Computational modeling for anatomical evaluation, demonstrating how advanced simulations can enhance pre-operative planning and clinical decision-making.
Reconstruction modeling and implant performance assessment, showcasing methods to predict functional outcomes and optimize implant behavior in real-world clinical scenarios.
Together, these presentations reflected the team’s commitment to advancing orthopedic science through the integration of engineering, computational tools, and clinical insight..
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European Hip Society
The team showcased its work at the European Hip Society (EHS) Congress, presenting four oral talks on advancing hip surgery.
Their contributions highlighted several key research areas:
Patient-specific and custom implant innovation, aimed at improving outcomes in complex hip cases.
Computational modeling for detailed anatomical assessment, enabling more accurate diagnosis and surgical planning, Acetabular and femoral.
Biomechanical and clinical performance modeling of hip reconstruction and implants, providing deeper insight into implant behavior, stability, and long-term function.
These presentations underscored the team’s dedication to pushing the boundaries of hip research through multidisciplinary expertise and state-of-the-art computational methods.
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Frontiers e-book
Our research article "The accuracy and precision of acetabular implant measurements from CT imaging" has been published in the Frontiers e-book!
The e-book entitled "Image-based digital tools for diagnosis and surgical treatment: applications, challenges and prospects" outlines the transformative impact of emerging, digital imaging technologies in surgical planning and outcome assessment.
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