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Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery - British Volume, Vol 86-B, Issue 8, 1192-1196.
doi: 10.1302/0301-620X.86B8.15012  
Copyright © 2004 by British Editorial Society of Bone and Joint Surgery
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Fracture of a Y-TZP ceramic femoral head

ANALYSIS OF A FAULT

G. Maccauro, MD, Orthopaedic Surgeon1; C. Piconi, MSc, Professor1; W. Burger, PhD, Head2; L. Pilloni, PhD, Researcher in Biomaterials3; E. De Santis, MD, PhD, Orthopaedic Surgeon1; F. Muratori, MD, Resident in Orthopaedics1; and I. D. Learmonth, FRCS, Professor4

1 Department of Orthopaedics, Catholic University, via T. Valfrè 12, Rome, Italy.
2 Oxide Materials Research Unit, CeramTec AG, Fabrikstrasse 23–29, Plochingen, Germany.
3 ENEA, Technologies and Materials Unit, Casaccia Research Centre, via Anguillarese 301, Rome, Italy.
4 Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Bristol University, Bristol BS2 8HW, UK.

Correspondence should be sent to Dr. G. Maccauro at Viale delle Medaglie d’oro 246, 00136 Rome, Italy.

We studied factors contributing to the initiation of fracture and failure of a zirconia ceramic femoral head. The materials retrieved during a revision total hip replacement were submitted to either visual, stereomicroscopic and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) or SEM and energy-dispersive x-ray analysis. X-ray diffraction was performed in order to investigate the extent of tetragonal to monoclinic phase transition. Histological examination was performed on the periprosthetic tissues.

The results showed that failure was due to the propagation during clinical use of defects which may have been introduced into the material during the processing of the ceramic, rather than those intrinsic to zirconia. The literature relating to previous failures of zirconia components is reviewed.






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Hip, Knee, Trauma, Upper limb, Foot & Ankle, Paediatrics, Oncology, Spine, Arthroplasty, General