title: Bilateral femoral component breakage in total hip replacement: a case report.
abstract: Breakage of the femoral component of a total hip replacement prosthesis is an uncommon occurrence with modern prostheses. The authors report what appears to be the only case of bilateral prosthetic fracture. A 65-year-old man, who was physically active, suffered bilateral femoral stem fractures 3 and 5 years after total hip replacement. The bilateral cemented hip replacements remained asymptomatic until catastrophic failure of the femoral component occurred. Both prostheses were titanium (Biomet; Warsaw, Ind.) with chrome cobalt modular femoral heads. The authors stress the importance of maintaining an adequate cement mantle in Gruen zones 1 and 7 because failure to do so may result in micromotion and subsequent stem fracture.
authors.affiliation: London Health Sciences Centre, University of Western Ontario.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rorabeck
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D019644:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip; D001835:Body Weight; D001843:Bone Cements; D002484:Cementation; D002858:Chromium Alloys; D006621:Hip Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006622:Hip Prosthesis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011475:Prosthesis Failure; D011859:Radiography; D012086:Reoperation; D013997:Time Factors; D014025:Titanium
chemical_list: D001843:Bone Cements; D002858:Chromium Alloys; D014025:Titanium