Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

The presence of pseudotumours, which are soft-tissue masses relating to the hip, after metal-on-metal hip resurfacing arthroplasty has been associated with elevated levels of metal ions in serum, suggesting that pseudotumours occur when there is increased wear. We aimed to quantify the wear in vivo of implants revised for pseudotumours (eight) and of a control group of implants (22) revised for other reasons of failure. We found that the implant group with pseudotumours had a significantly higher rate of median linear wear of the femoral component at 8.1 microm/year (2.75 to 25.4) than the 1.79 microm/year (0.82 to 4.15; p = 0.002) of the non-pseudotumour group. For the acetabular component a significantly higher rate of median linear wear of 7.36 microm/year (1.61 to 24.9) was observed in the pseudotumour group compared with 1.28 microm/year (0.81 to 3.33, p = 0.001) in the other group. Wear of the acetabular component in the pseudotumour group always involved the edge of the implant, indicating that edge-loading had occurred. Our findings are the first direct evidence that pseudotumour is associated with increased wear at the metal-on-metal articulation. Furthermore, edge-loading with the loss of fluid-film lubrication may be an important mechanism of generation of wear in patients with a pseudotumour.

Original publication

DOI

10.1302/0301-620X.92B3.23281

Type

Journal article

Journal

J Bone Joint Surg Br

Publication Date

03/2010

Volume

92

Pages

356 - 361

Keywords

Adult, Aged, Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip, Connective Tissue Diseases, Female, Granuloma, Plasma Cell, Hip Prosthesis, Humans, Male, Materials Testing, Middle Aged, Prosthesis Design, Prosthesis Failure, Reoperation, Stress, Mechanical, Surface Properties