Long-term clinical, radiological and histopathological follow-up of a well-fixed Mckee-Farrar metal-on-metal total hip arthroplasty

Abstract

Metal-on-metal is one potential bearing option for total hip arthroplasty (THA). Proponents of the bearing have suggested that if the tribology is optimal, volumetric wear may occur at levels at least one order of magnitude lower than metal-on-polyethylene bearings. We present a unique postmortem case of a well fixed, metal-on-metal, McKee-Farrar total hip arthroplasty implanted 30 years previously that was clinically asymptomatic in life. Clinical and radiological examination is supplemented by tribological examination of the bearing and histopathological examination of the cement-bone interface.