Arthroplasty Today (Dec 2017)

Bead debonding from a modern cementless total hip femoral component with concomitant taper corrosion

  • Adam I. Edelstein, MD,
  • Duy L. Phan, MD,
  • Scott M. Sporer, MD

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 3, no. 4
pp. 215 – 219

Abstract

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We report a case of bead shedding from a cylindrical extensively porous-coated cementless femoral component with concomitant taper corrosion at the modular head-neck junction of a metal-on-polyethylene total hip prosthesis. The patient presented with chronic thigh pain 4 years after primary total hip arthroplasty, and radiographs revealed significant osteolysis and metallic debris around the femoral stem. Intraoperatively, the patient had a grossly loose femoral component with debonding of sintered beads from the femoral stem, as well as evidence of taper corrosion. We identify a failure of a modern beaded femoral component in conjunction with taper corrosion. Keywords: Total hip arthroplasty, Bead shedding, Taper corrosion