Material loss at the head-stem taper junction may contribute to the high early failure rates of stemmed large head metal-on-metal (LH-MOM) hip replacements. We sought to quantify both wear and corrosion and by doing so determine the main mechanism of material loss at the taper. This was a retrospective study of 78 patients having undergone revision of a LH-MOM hip replacement. All relevant clinical data was recorded. Corrosion was assessed using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy, and graded according to a well-published classification system. We then measured the volumetric wear of the bearing and taper surfaces. Evidence of at least mild taper corrosion was seen in 90% cases, with 46% severely corroded. SEM confirmed the presence of corrosion debris, pits and fretting damage. However, volumetric wear of the taper surfaces was significantly lower than that of the bearing surfaces (p = 0.015). Our study supports corrosion as the predominant mechanism of material loss at the taper junction of LH-MOM hip replacements. Although the volume of material loss is low, the ionic products may be more biologically active compared to the particulate debris arising from the bearing surfaces.

It has been speculated that high wear at the head-stem taper may contribute to the high failure rates reported for stemmed large head metal-on-metal (LH-MOM) hips. In this study of 53 retrieved LH-MOM hip replacements, we sought to determine the relative contributions of the bearing and taper surfaces to the total wear volume. Prior to revision, we recorded the relevant clinical variables, including whole blood cobalt and chromium levels. Volumetric wear of the bearing surfaces was measured using a coordinate measuring machine and of the taper surfaces using a roundness measuring machine. The mean taper wear volume was lower than the combined bearing surface wear volume (p = 0.015). On average the taper contributed 32.9% of the total wear volume, and in only 28% cases was the taper wear volume greater than the bearing surface wear volume. Despite contributing less to the total material loss than the bearing surfaces, the head-stem taper junction remains an important source of implant-derived wear debris. Furthermore, material loss at the taper is likely to involve corrosion and it is possible that the material released may be more biologically active than that from the bearing surface.