A meta-analysis of design- and manufacturing-related parameters influencing the wear behavior of metal-on-metal hip joint replacements

Abstract

This article aims to clarify the influence of design- and manufacturing-related parameters on wear of metal-on-metal (MoM) joint bearings.Adatabase search for publications on wear simulator studies ofMoMbearings was performed. Theresults of published studies were normalized; groups with individual parameters were defined and analyzed statistically. Fifty-six investigations studying a total of 200 implants were included in the analysis. Clearance, head size, carbon content, and manufacturing method were analyzed as parameters influencing MoMwear. This meta-analysis revealed a strong influence of clearance on running-in wear for implants of 36-mm diameter and an increase in steady-state wear of heat treated components. © 2009 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.