The goal of the study was to describe the features of the aseptic loosening of the cup in CoC THR and to determine factors that affect the time to revision.

It is a retrospective study including all patients who had a revision of CoC THR for aseptic failure fixation of the cup, between 2007 and 2017. 55 patients (27 women, 28 men) (56 hips) were included in the study. Eight hips (13 %) had also a stem exchange. At the primary T HR, the mean age of the patients was 47.9 years (17–72), 28 press fit cups had screws, the mean diameter of the cup was 51.2 mm (46–62) and the mean inclination was 52° (37–67). Clinical and radiological data were retrospectively recorded by an observer different to the initial operators.

The mean age of the patients at the revision was 55.4 years (26–84). The mean time to revision was 90.1 months (14–240), and was significantly greater in patients aged less than 52 years, in cups without screws and with a 28mm head. The trend curve of the time to cup revision showed a bimodal distribution at three and ten years. 20 cups had migrated (33%). Bone loss was rated type 1 in 41 hips (73.0%), type 2 in 12 hips and type 3 in three hips). The mean diameter of the new cup was 52.3 mm (46–64). It was inferior to that of the initial cup in 26 hips (46.4%). 31 cups were impacted (55.5%) and 25 needed to be cemented (45.5%). No macroscopic wear was detected on the ceramic implant.

Aseptic loosening of the cup in CoC THA does not appear to increase over time, supporting the fact that the failure is unrelated to wear and is not due to a biological mechanism. The occurrence of two peaks of frequency over time may suggest that different mechanisms occur.