Case Report

Modular titanium alloy neck failure in total hip replacement: analysis of a relapse case

¹ Saint Filippo and Nicola Hospital, Via Adolfo Omodeo 31 d, CAP 00179 Rome, Avezzano, Italy
² Saint Spirit Hospital, CAP 00193 Rome, Italy

^* Corresponding author: dr.ceretti@gmail.com

Received: 15 January 2016
Accepted: 23 January 2016

Abstract

Modular neck hip prosthesis born in the 1990 with the aim of allowing the surgeon to modify CCD angle, offset and femoral anteversion intra-operatively restoring patient’s original biomechanics. In order to achieve the best biomechanics of the reconstructed hip, preoperative planning is essential. In the last few years modularity has been questioned and an argument made for the return to mono block stems due to events of breakage or disconnection of modular components. Fretting or crevice corrosion may lead to failure of such modular device due to the contamination inside the modular coupling or to high loads. We present a case of repetitive modular femoral neck prosthesis fracture.