Patterns of failure in the original Besser bipolar prosthesis.
Fourteen original Besser endoprostheses inserted in young patients with osteonecrosis of the femoral head were reviewed. Two cups dislocated early and 1 other required replacement due to acetabular degeneration. Component disassembly occurred in 4 hips, which had exhibited persistently vertical cups. Their stems revealed notching medially and the cups showed gross erosion and failure. The remaining 5 hips were mobile and pain free, but in 3 of these the cups exhibited a persistently vertical orientation and, as such, are predisposed to failure. Only one article reporting early good results using this prosthesis has been published. The failure rate of 50% in this series is disappointing.
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Cape Town.
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AW
Heywood
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GW
Keys
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005271:Femur Head Necrosis / Q000601:surgery; D006622:Hip Prosthesis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011475:Prosthesis Failure