title: A polyethylene liner scratch after revision hip arthroplasty performed to repair ceramic fracture.
abstract: A 61-year-old man who had undergone revision total hip arthroplasty in 2000 was evaluated at our clinic in 2008, 1 day after feeling an abnormal clicking sensation in his left hip. Radiographs showed a fracture of the alumina ceramic liner of his acetabular component. A second revision total hip arthroplasty was performed with a 28-mm highly crosslinked polyethylene acetabular liner and an alumina femoral head. Sixteen months after the second revision, the patient experience sudden-onset hip pain. Radiographs revealed a fatigue fracture of the neck of a displaced stem. Analysis by scanning electron microscopy of the surface of the retrieved alumina ceramic femoral head revealed no scratches or wear, but analysis of the highly crosslinked polyethylene socket revealed third-body wear, scratches, irregularly shaped dips, and white ceramic particles. Elemental analysis of the white particles by an x-ray microanalyzer revealed the presence of aluminum and oxygen.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan.
authors.forename: Yukiharu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hasegawa
authors.forename: Puyi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sheng
authors.forename: Toshiya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kanoh
authors.forename: Taisuke
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Seki
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Matsuoka
mesh_terms: D000077:Acetabulum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D018771:Arthralgia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D019644:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002516:Ceramics; D006621:Hip Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006622:Hip Prosthesis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D011475:Prosthesis Failure; D011859:Radiography; D012086:Reoperation