title: Alumina-on-alumina total hip replacement for femoral neck fracture in healthy patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Total hip replacement is considered the best option for treatment of displaced intracapsular fractures of the femoral neck (FFN). The size of the femoral head is an important factor that influences the outcome of a total hip arthroplasty (THA): implants with a 28 mm femoral head are more prone to dislocate than implants with a 32 mm head. Obviously, a large head coupled to a polyethylene inlay can lead to more wear, osteolysis and failure of the implant. Ceramic induces less friction and minimal wear even with larger heads.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 35 THAs were performed for displaced intracapsular FFN, using a 32 mm alumina-alumina coupling.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At a mean follow-up of 80 months, 33 have been clinically and radiologically reviewed. None of the implants needed revision for any reason, none of the cups were considered to have failed, no dislocations nor breakage of the ceramic components were recorded. One anatomic cementless stem was radiologically loose.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  On the basis of our experience, we suggest that ceramic-on-ceramic coupling offers minimal friction and wear even with large heads.
authors.affiliation: Orthopaedic Department, Università degli Studi di Bari, Italy. g.solarino@ortop1.uniba.it
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Solarino
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Piazzolla
authors.forename: Claudio M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Moretti
authors.forename: Silvio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Patella
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Notarnicola
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000537:Aluminum Oxide / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019644:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005265:Femoral Neck Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019736:Prostheses and Implants / Q000592:standards*; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D011859:Radiography
chemical_list: D000537:Aluminum Oxide