Squeaking sound in total hip arthroplasty using ceramic-on-ceramic bearing surfaces.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the causes and frequency of the squeaking sound in ceramic-on-ceramic THA.


METHODS
This study included 61 hips of 50 patients who underwent ceramic-on-ceramic THA in our hospital from March 1999 to April 2005. The average age at the time of operation was 57.6 years. The average duration of follow-up was 69.5 months. Three different acetabular components were used: Osteonics (Stryker, USA: 24 cases), Bicontact (Aesculap, Germany: 27 cases) and ABG (Howmedica, UK: 10 cases).


RESULTS
Fourteen (22.9%) of the 61 cases had a squeaking sound, and this sound started a mean of 47.57 months after the operation. Except in one case, the squeaking sound remained until the last follow-up. There was no difference in acetabular component position between the squeaking and nonsqueaking groups. The squeaking sound was found to be related to the BMI (body mass index) and cup design. It occurred frequently in patients with high BMI who had received a total hip arthroplasty using an Osteonics cup. Among 11 of the patients, squeaking occurred while squatting, and in 3 patients while walking. Six patients suffered from mild restrictions on their activities of daily living, and 8 had more than moderate restrictions with squeaking sounds.


CONCLUSIONS
A squeaking sound in THA using ceramic-on-ceramic surfaces is not a rare complication, and often affects the patient's behavior.
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Kwangju Christian Hospital, 264, Yangrim-Dong, Nam-Gu, Gwangju, South Korea.
Sung-Chan
SC
Ki
Byung-Hak
BH
Kim
Ji-Hoon
JH
Ryu
Dae-Hyun
DH
Yoon
Young-Yool
YY
Chung
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019644:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip / Q000295:instrumentation*; D002516:Ceramics; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006622:Hip Prosthesis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015207:Osteoarthritis, Hip / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D011475:Prosthesis Failure; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013499:Surface Properties; D055815:Young Adult