INTRODUCTION. Squeaking after total hip replacement has been reported in up to 10% of patients. Some authors proposed that sound emissions from squeaking hips result from resonance of one or other or both of the metal parts and not the bearing surfaces. There is no reported in vitro study about the squeaking frequencies under lubricated regime. The goal of the study was to reproduce the squeaking in vitro under lubricated conditions, and to compare the in vitro frequencies to in vivo frequencies determined in a group of squeaking patients. The frequencies may help determining the responsible part of the noise. METHODS. Four patients, who underwent THR with a Ceramic-on-Ceramic THR (Trident(r), Stryker(r)) presented a squeaking noise. The noise was recorded and analysed with acoustic software (FMaster(r)). In-vitro 3 alumina ceramic (Biolox Forte Ceramtec(r)) 32 mm diameter (Ceramconcept(r)) components were tested using a PROSIM(r) hip friction simulator. The cup was positioned with a 75° abduction angle in order to achieve edge loading conditions. The backing and the cup liner were cut with a diamond saw, in order to avoid neck-head impingement and dislocation in case of high cup abduction angles (Figure1). The head was articulated ± 10° at 1 Hz with a load of 2.5kN for a duration of 300 cycles. The motion was along the edge. Tests were conducted under lubricated conditions with 25% bovine serum without and with the addition of a 3. rd. body alumina ceramic particle (200 μm thickness and 2 mm length). Before hand, engineering blue was used in order to analyze the contact area and to determine whether edge loading was achieved. RESULTS. Edge loading was obtained. In-vitro, no squeaking occurred under edge loading conditions. However, with the addition of an alumina ceramic 3. rd. body particle in the contact region squeaking was obtained at the beginning of the tests and stopped after ∼20 seconds (dominant frequency 2.6 kHz). In-vivo, recordings had a dominant frequency ranging between 2.2 and 2.4 kHz. DISCUSSION. For the first time, squeaking was reproduced in vitro under lubricated conditions. In-vitro noises followed edge loading and 3. rd. body particles and despite, the severe conditions, squeaking was intermittent and difficult to reproduce. However, squeaking is probably more difficult to reproduce because the cup was cut and the head was fixed in the simulator, preventing vibration to occur. Squeaking noises of a similar frequency were recorded in-vitro and in-vivo. The lower frequency of squeaking recorded in-vivo, demonstrates a potential damping effect of the soft tissues. Therefore, the squeaking in the patients was probably related to the bearing surfaces and modified lubrication conditions that may be due to edge loading. Varnum et al reported recently (3) that all the revised squeaking patients had a neck-cup impingement with metal 3. rd. body
Purpose. Complete wear-out of Polyethylene (PE) liner results in severe metallosis following articulation of the artificial head with the acetabular metal shell. We postulated that an adverse response can be led to surrounding bone tissue and new implant after revision surgery because the amount of PE wear particle is substantial and the metal particles are infiltrated in this catastrophic condition. We evaluated clinical characteristics and the survival rate of revision total hip arthroplasty (THA) performed in patients with severe metallosis following failure of PE liner. Materials and Methods. Between January 1996 and August 2004, severe metallosis following complete wear-out of PE liner were identified during revision THA in 28 hips of 28 patients. One patient had died at 7 days after surgery and 3 patients could not be reached at 5 year follow-up. Twenty-four hips of 24 patients (average age, 47.5 years) were followed for at least 6.5 years (average, 11.3 years; range, 6.5–15.9 years) and were evaluated. The mean time interval between prior surgery and the index revision surgery was 9.6 years (range, 4.0–14.3 years). The indications for revision surgery were osteolysis around well-fixed cup and stem in 22 hips and osteolysis with aseptic loosening of the cup in 2 hips. Bubble sign was observed on preoperative radiograph in 10 hips. Total revision, cup revision, and solitary bearing change were performed in 13, 10, and one hip respectively. A cementless implant was used in 23 hips and acetabular reinforcement ring was used in one. Clinical evaluation was performed using Harris hip scores and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed. Multivariate analysis was performed with age, gender, BMI, bone defect type, existence of bubble sign and type of revision surgery as variables to evaluate the association with osteolysis or loosening. Results. One patient who had died from an unrelated medical condition at 6.5 years had hip that were functioning well at the time of death. Average Harris hip score improved from 64.5 points preoperatively to 81.9 points at the last follow-up. Wear and osteolysis were detected at average 8.9 years (3.1–13.5 years) after revision in 14 hips. Acetabular cup was loosened in 9 hips. Re-revision of cup was performed in 5 hips and re-revision of both cup and stem was done in 2 hips. In another hip, cup removal and artificial neck cutting was performed due to severe bone loss following two times of cup re-revision. With radiographic evidence of osteolysis as the end point, the 15-year survival rate was 35.3% (95% confidence interval [CI], 11.6%–59.0%). With radiographic loosening of any implant as the end point, the 15-year survival rate was 54.0% (95% CI, 27.9%–80.1%). Multivariate analysis revealed no variable that had a significant association with osteolysis or loosening. Conclusion. The survival rate of revision THA in patients with metallosis following a failure of a PE liner was low. Substantial amount of PE wear debris and the infiltration of
