About the Hip Total Hip Replacement Minimally Invasive Total Hip Replacement Metal on Metal Hip Replacement Ceramic Hip Replacement Surface Arthroplasty Computer Navigation Anterior Hip Approach

This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace the expert guidance of your orthopedic surgeon. Any questions or concerns you may have should be directed to your orthopedic surgeon. The standard of care for hip replacements since l962 has been a stainless steel femoral ball, articulating with a plastic cup. The plastic or polyethelene has a wear rate of approximately .1mm per year. In certain patients this plastic wear causes osteolysis and loosening of the hip replacement components. In an attempt to lessen the wear and avoid the complication of loose components, ceramic hips were developed which are theoretically more highly polishable and theoretically have less wear and fewer long term complications. From the beginning, ceramic hips have had several draw backs. Ceramic hips are a type of pottery and they can fracture and when they fracture revision hip replacement surgery is mandatory on an urgent basis. Once the ceramic shatters it is very difficult to remove the pieces of ceramic or glass which can lead to further problems after the revision procedure. Problem Two: We have recently seen the development of metal on metal implants which allow the femoral ball to approximate the same size as the normal hip. This technology has nearly eliminated the complication of hip dislocation. Ceramic on ceramic hips can not be produced in the same way metal hips can be produced because of limitations of the ceramic material. Therefore, the ceramic hips, theoretically will have a slightly higher dislocation rate. The last and most annoying concern with ceramic on ceramic hips is that up to 7% will develop a squeak, which is loud enough to be heard by those nearby. The only way to correct the squeal is by revision surgery. Read the Article in the News