COMPOSITION AND MORPHOLOGY OF WEAR DEBRIS IN FAILED UNCEMENTED TOTAL HIP-REPLACEMENT

Interfacial membranes collected at revision from 11 failed uncemented Ti-alloy total hip replacements were examined. Particles in the membra nes were characterised by electron microscopy, microchemical spectrosc opy and particle size analysis. Most were polyethylene and had a mean size of 0.53 mu m +/- 0.3. They were similar to the particles seen in the base resin used in the manufacture of the acetabular implants. Rel atively few titanium particles were seen. Fragments of bone, stainless steel and silicate were found in small amounts. Most of the polyethyl ene particles were too small to be seen by light microscopy. Electron microscopy and spectroscopic techniques are required to provide an acc urate description of this debris.