POROUS PAD SEPARATION AND LOOSENING OF HARRIS-GALANTE FEMORAL HIP COMPONENTS

Failure of the bond between the metal beads and the solid substrate of porous-coated chrome-cobalt femoral components, or so-called ''bead s hedding,'' has been reported previously and may indicate motion of the component within the femur or mechanical loosening of the prosthesis. Failure of the bond between a sintered titanium fibermesh pad and a t itanium alloy femoral stem has not been documented in the literature t o date. The separation of fibermesh Dads from three Harris-Galante fem oral prostheses (Zimmer, Warsaw, IN) is reported.