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Incidence of ‘Squeaking’ After Ceramic-on-Ceramic Total Hip Arthroplasty

  • Symposium: Papers Presented at the Hip Society Meetings 2009
  • Published:
Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research®

Abstract

The incidence of hip “squeak” associated with ceramic-on-ceramic bearings has been variably reported, ranging from 0.7% to 20.9%. We determined the patients’ perception of squeaking in 306 patients (336 hips) in whom ceramic-on-ceramic total hip arthroplasties (THAs) were performed between 1997 and 2005. A questionnaire regarding hip noise was obtained by telephone. With a minimum followup of 2 years (mean, 3.9 years; range, 2–10 years), 290 patients (320 or 95% of the THAs) completed the questionnaire. Patients reported hip noise in 55 of the 320 THAs (17%); noise was perceived as squeak in 32 of the 320 (10%). Most squeaking hips (29 of 32) were pain-free and symptom-free. One patient was unhappy with his squeaking hip without pain. Our data suggest a much higher incidence of squeak as perceived by patients than previously reported.

Level of Evidence: Level II, therapeutic study. See Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Julie C. McCauley, MPHc, for assistance with statistics and Mary E. Hardwick, MSN, RN, for assistance with editing.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hanford Orthopaedics, Inc, Hanford, CA, USA

    Kenny Mai MD

  2. Division of Orthopaedic Surgery, Scripps Clinic, 10666 North Torrey Pines Road, MS116, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA

    Kace A. Ezzet MD, Steven N. Copp MD, Richard H. Walker MD & Clifford W. Colwell Jr. MD

  3. Shiley Center for Orthopaedic Research and Education at Scripps Clinic, La Jolla, CA, USA

    Christopher Verioti DO & Clifford W. Colwell Jr. MD

Authors
  1. Kenny Mai MD
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  2. Christopher Verioti DO
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  3. Kace A. Ezzet MD
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  4. Steven N. Copp MD
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  5. Richard H. Walker MD
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  6. Clifford W. Colwell Jr. MD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Clifford W. Colwell Jr. MD.

Additional information

Each author certifies that he or she has no commercial associations (eg, consultancies, stock ownership, equity interest, patent/licensing arrangements, etc) that might pose a conflict of interest in connection with the submitted article.

Each author certifies that his or her institution has approved the human protocol for this investigation, that all investigations were conducted in conformity with ethical principles of research, and that informed consent for participation in the study was obtained.

This work was performed at Scripps Clinic, Division of Orthopaedic Surgery, La Jolla, CA, USA.

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Mai, K., Verioti, C., Ezzet, K.A. et al. Incidence of ‘Squeaking’ After Ceramic-on-Ceramic Total Hip Arthroplasty. Clin Orthop Relat Res 468, 413–417 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11999-009-1083-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11999-009-1083-4

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