Incidence of 'squeaking' after ceramic-on-ceramic total hip arthroplasty.
The incidence of hip "squeak" associated with ceramic-on-ceramic bearings has been variably reported, ranging from 0.7% to 20.9%. We determined the patients' perception of squeaking in 306 patients (336 hips) in whom ceramic-on-ceramic total hip arthroplasties (THAs) were performed between 1997 and 2005. A questionnaire regarding hip noise was obtained by telephone. With a minimum followup of 2 years (mean, 3.9 years; range, 2-10 years), 290 patients (320 or 95% of the THAs) completed the questionnaire. Patients reported hip noise in 55 of the 320 THAs (17%); noise was perceived as squeak in 32 of the 320 (10%). Most squeaking hips (29 of 32) were pain-free and symptom-free. One patient was unhappy with his squeaking hip without pain. Our data suggest a much higher incidence of squeak as perceived by patients than previously reported.


METHODS
Level II, therapeutic study. See Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Mai
Kenny
K
Division of Orthopaedic Surgery, Scripps Clinic, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
Verioti
Christopher
C
Ezzet
Kace A
KA
Copp
Steven N
SN
Walker
Richard H
RH
Colwell
Clifford W
CW
D019644:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation*; D002516:Ceramics; D005260:Female; D006622:Hip Prosthesis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009622:Noise; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010465:Perception; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome