The Influence of Head Size on Corrosion and Fretting Behaviour at the Head-Neck Interface of Artificial Hip Joints

Abstract

The primary goal of this study was to determine if head size affects corrosion and fretting behaviour at the head-neck taper interface of modular hip prostheses. Seventy-four implants were retrieved that featured either a 28mm or a 36mm head with a metal-on-polyethylene articulation. The bore of the heads and the neck of the stems were divided into eight regions each and graded by three observers for corrosion and fretting damage separately using modified criteria as reported in the literature. The 36mm head size featured a significant difference in the corrosion head scores (p=0.022) in comparison to the 28mm heads. This may be attributed to a greater torque acting along the taper interface due to activities of daily living.