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.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.