In 2005, we demonstrated that the polished triple-tapered
C-stem at two years had migrated distally and rotated internally.
From that series, 33 patients have now been followed radiologically,
clinically and by radiostereometric analysis (RSA) for up to ten
years. The distal migration within the cement mantle had continued
and reached a mean of 2 mm (0.5 to 4.0) at ten years. Internal rotation,
also within the cement mantle, was a mean 3.8° (external 1.6° to
internal 6.6°) The cement mantle did not show any sign of migration
or loosening in relation to the femoral bone. There were no clinical
or radiological signs indicating that the migration or rotation
within the cement mantle had had any adverse effects for the patients. Cite this article:
We investigated the wear characteristics and clinical performance of four different total hip joint articulations in 114 patients. Wear and migration was measured by roentgenstereophotogrammetric analysis at five years or at the last follow-up. The mean annual wear was 0.11 mm for a stainless steel/Enduron articulation, 0.34 mm for stainless steel/Hylamer cup, 0.17 mm for zirconium oxide ceramic/Enduron and 0.40 mm for zirconium oxide ceramic/Hylamer. The difference between the groups was significant (p <
0.008) except for stainless steel/Hylamer At present, 12 patients have undergone a revision procedure, four at five years and eight thereafter. No patient who received a stainless steel/Enduron articulation at their primary replacement required revision. Conflicting results have been reported about the performance of the zirconium oxide ceramic femoral head, but our findings suggest that it should not be used with a polymethylmethacrylate acetabular component. Hylamer has already been withdrawn from the market.
We used roentgen stereophotogrammetric analysis to follow 33 C-stem femoral components for two years after primary total hip arthroplasty. All components migrated distally and posteriorly within the cement mantle. The mean distal migration was 1.35 mm (