Comparison of Surgical Outcomes and Implant Wear Between Ceramic-Ceramic and Ceramic-Polyethylene Articulations in Total Hip Arthroplasty

The results of a prospective multicenter trial comparing 357 hips randomized to total hip arthroplasty with either ceramic-ceramic or ceramic-polyethylene couplings are presented. No statistically significant difference in clinical outcomes scores between the ceramic-ceramic and ceramic-polyethylene groups was observed at any time interval. The mean linear rate was statistically lower (P < .001) in the ceramic-ceramic group (30.5 mu m/year) when compared with the ceramic-polyethylene group (218.2 mu m/year). The rates of ceramic implant fracture (2.6%) and audible component related noise (3.1%) were statistically higher in the ceramic-ceramic group when compared with the ceramic-polyethylene group (P < .05). Lastly, there was no statistically significant difference in the dislocation or revision rate between the groups at the time of last clinical follow-up.