What material is the Univers Revers Stem made of?

• A. Titanium Alloy
• B. Stainless Steel
• C. Cobalt-Chromium
• D. Polyethylene

Answer: (C)

Choosing the stem material for a reverse shoulder arthroplasty hinges on finding a balance of strength, durability under cyclic loading, and visibility on imaging. Cobalt-chromium alloys provide high strength and excellent fatigue resistance, along with good wear performance, which helps the stem withstand long-term shoulder motion without deforming or corroding. They’re also highly radiopaque, making postoperative imaging and assessment easier. While titanium alloys have advantages like lower stiffness and better potential for bone integration, they don’t offer the same combination of wear resistance and radiopacity as cobalt-chromium in this stem design. Stainless steel, though strong, doesn’t match the corrosion resistance and long-term wear characteristics of Co-Cr for implants. Polyethylene is a polymer used for bearing surfaces, not for the stem itself. So the Univers Revers stem uses cobalt-chromium for its durability and imaging visibility.