title: Alumina femoral head fracture: an in vitro study.
abstract: A fracture of a ceramic femoral head is reported in this study. Fractures of ceramic femoral heads are uncommon and reports on this complication are rare. After 3 million cycles, on a twelve station hip simulator that tested alumina femoral head against polyethylene acetabular cup, fracture of the ceramic ball was observed. The retrieved specimen consisted of three large ceramic fragments from the same ceramic femoral head, a polyethylene acetabular cup and a stainless steel jig. Careful and detailed examination of the removed components was made. The fracture of the ceramic ball resulted in damage to the metal taper of the jig component which was fixed into the simulator.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio di Tecnologia Medica, Istituti Ortopedici Rizzoli, Bologna, Italy. affatato@tecno.ior.it
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Affatato
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ghisolfi
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Cacciari
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Toni
mesh_terms: D000077:Acetabulum; D000537:Aluminum Oxide; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002516:Ceramics; D006622:Hip Prosthesis; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008422:Materials Testing; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D011095:Polyethylenes; D011475:Prosthesis Failure; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013499:Surface Properties; D015040:Zirconium
chemical_list: D011095:Polyethylenes; D015040:Zirconium; D000537:Aluminum Oxide