title: Large ceramic femoral heads: what problems do they solve?
abstract: Large ceramic femoral heads offer several advantages that are potentially advantageous to patients undergoing both primary and revision total hip replacement. Many high-quality studies have demonstrated the benefit of large femoral heads in reducing post-operative instability. Ceramic femoral heads may also offer an advantage in reducing polyethylene wear that has been reported in vitro and is starting to become clinically apparent in mid-term clinical outcome studies. Additionally, the risk of taper corrosion at a ceramic femoral head-neck junction is clearly lower than when using a metal femoral head. With improvements in the material properties of both modern ceramic femoral heads and polyethylene acetabular liners that have reduced the risk of mechanical complications, large ceramic heads have gained popularity in recent years.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Lenox Hill Hospital, 130 East 77th Street, 11th Floor, New York, New York 10075, USA.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Rodriguez
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Cooper
mesh_terms: D019644:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip / Q000295:instrumentation*; D002516:Ceramics; D003343:Corrosion; D005269:Femur / Q000601:surgery*; D006622:Hip Prosthesis; D006801:Humans; D007593:Joint Instability / Q000517:prevention & control; D020959:Polyethylene; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D011475:Prosthesis Failure; D012086:Reoperation; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D020959:Polyethylene
keywords: ceramic; femoral head; instability; polyethylene wear; taper corrosion; total hip replacement