Proximal component modularity in THA--at what cost? An implant retrieval study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

While modular femoral heads have been used in THA for decades, a recent innovation is a second neck-stem taper junction. Clinical advantages include intraoperative adjustment of leg length, femoral anteversion, and easier revision, all providing flexibility to the surgeon; however, there have been reports of catastrophic fracture, cold welding, and corrosion and fretting of the modular junction.

Questions/purposes

We asked whether (1) the neck-stem junction showed the same degradation mechanisms, if any, as the head-neck junction, (2) the junction contributed to THA revision, (3) the alloy affected the degree of degradation, and (4) the trunion machine finish affected the degradation mechanisms.

Methods

We compared 57 retrievals from seven total hip modular

SUBMITTER: Kop AM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3369081 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature