Biomaterial Database

How safe are ceramic heads as hip endoprostheses? A series of three head fractures within 3 months. 1993

A Burckhardt, and C Berberat

Orthopedic Clinic, Cantonal Hospital Olten, Switzerland.

A report is given of a series of three ceramic head fractures involving articulation with polyethylene cups. No sure cause for the marked increase in occurrence could be found, as the heads were not from the same manufacturing lot, nor was there evidence of a material defect or an error in the implantation technique. Head fractures in the combination ceramic-polyethylene are reported very rarely because of the very low statistical probability. For this reason the present authors are continuing to use ceramic heads, but wish, in the interests of "informed consent," to draw attention to the risk of head fractures.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D011474	Prosthesis Design	The plan and delineation of prostheses in general or a specific prosthesis.	Design, Prosthesis,Designs, Prosthesis,Prosthesis Designs
D011859	Radiography	Examination of any part of the body for diagnostic purposes by means of X-RAYS or GAMMA RAYS, recording the image on a sensitized surface (such as photographic film).	Radiology, Diagnostic X-Ray,Roentgenography,X-Ray, Diagnostic,Diagnostic X-Ray,Diagnostic X-Ray Radiology,X-Ray Radiology, Diagnostic,Diagnostic X Ray,Diagnostic X Ray Radiology,Diagnostic X-Rays,Radiology, Diagnostic X Ray,X Ray Radiology, Diagnostic,X Ray, Diagnostic,X-Rays, Diagnostic
D002516	Ceramics	Products made by baking or firing nonmetallic minerals (clay and similar materials). In making dental restorations or parts of restorations the material is fused porcelain. (From McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 4th ed & Boucher's Clinical Dental Terminology, 4th ed)	Ceramic
D006621	Hip Joint	The joint that is formed by the articulation of the head of FEMUR and the ACETABULUM of the PELVIS.	Acetabulofemoral Joint,Acetabulofemoral Joints,Hip Joints,Joint, Acetabulofemoral,Joint, Hip,Joints, Acetabulofemoral,Joints, Hip
D006622	Hip Prosthesis	Replacement for a hip joint.	Femoral Head Prosthesis,Femoral Head Prostheses,Hip Prostheses,Prostheses, Femoral Head,Prostheses, Hip,Prosthesis, Femoral Head,Prosthesis, Hip
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000368	Aged	A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available.	Elderly
D015207	Osteoarthritis, Hip	Noninflammatory degenerative disease of the hip joint which usually appears in late middle or old age. It is characterized by growth or maturational disturbances in the femoral neck and head, as well as acetabular dysplasia. A dominant symptom is pain on weight-bearing or motion.	Coxarthrosis,Osteoarthritis of the Hip,Osteoarthritis Of Hip,Coxarthroses,Hip Osteoarthritis,Osteoarthritis Of Hips