Abstract
The first 100 consecutive patients with cups inserted a minimum of 10 years ago were recalled and assessed clinically and radiologically. Fixation of the cups was excellent, with no loosening or migration. One liner was replaced because of wear and granuloma formation. The granuloma was curetted and allograft impacted. The patient recovered rapidly and the bone graft showed evidence of incorporation with remodelling after a year. One liner was revised following dislocation and instability. There were no further episodes of dislocation. Five liners had wear of more than 0.2 mm per year. Surprisingly, this occurred not in the patients who were very active but in the patients with smaller cups, where the liner thickness was less than 8 mm.
There was excellent fixation at 10 years. Wear remains a concern, however, and we now recommend that a 22-mm head be used in cups smaller than 52 mm. This ensures polyethylene thickness of at least 9 mm, which will improve wear properties.
The abstracts were prepared by Professor M. B. E. Sweet. Correspondence should be addressed to him at PO Box 47363, Parklands, Johannesburg 2121, South Africa.
