PRECISION-FIT SURFACE HEMIARTHROPLASTY FOR FEMORAL-HEAD OSTEONECROSIS - LONG-TERM RESULTS

Cemented Ti-6Al-4V components were used to resurface ten femoral heads in nine young adult patients with osteonecrosis of the femoral head (average age 32 years; range 20 to 51). There were eight hips at Ficat stage III: and two at stage IV. Five hips have maintained satisfactory function for an average period of 11.2 years (10 to 12.2) with no radiographic evidence of component loosening or osteolysis; five have been revised after an average period of 7.8 years (3.3 to 10.3) for pain caused by deterioration of the acetabular cartilage. No component required revision for loosening and the specimens retrieved at revision showed no evidence of osteolysis despite burnishing of the titanium bearing surface and the presence of particulate titanium debris in the tissues.