Abstract
The recent introduction of modern ceramic-on-ceramic total hip arthroplasties have demonstrated excellent clinical and radiographic results without catastrophic failure such as implant fracture associated with earlier designs. In laboratory wear testing, ceramicon-ceramic provides the least volumetric wear among all bearing surfaces. In recent years, with modern ceramic-on-ceramic bearing surfaces, clinical results with 5-to 7-year follow up have been good to excellent in 95–97% of cases. In spite of excellent results, certain limitations still exist including occasional fracture, stripe wear, squeaking, and neck-socket impingement producing metallic third body. Future improvement in ceramics (and other hard-bearing surfaces) and its coupling with other hard bearing surfaces appears to have significant advantages in reducing dislocation, impingement, stripe wear and squeaking.
Correspondence should be addressed to Diane Przepiorski at ISTA, PO Box 6564, Auburn, CA 95604, USA. Phone: +1 916-454-9884; Fax: +1 916-454-9882; E-mail: ista@pacbell.net
