Ceramic or Metal

[Davey]

Can anyone please help me with deciding bettween metal or ceramic. Any opinions or links to advantages and disadvantage of each? Many Thanks.

[karlos.bell]

 :) Hi Davey. Hip resurfacing or THR's

[blinky]

Tough question. I don't know if you can get a metal THR anymore.


Which HR? How risk averse are you?


Metal HR devices have been around about twenty years and their advantages and disadvantages are well known. The docs who implant them have been doing it for years and understand how to do it. Ceramic is new. It has been heralded as the next big thing, avoiding the biggest issue with metal, the release of metal ions, while maintaining the advantage of metal, durability.


There has been speculation that ceramic could crack or shatter, so ask about that. If you can wait a while, a few months or a few years, get in touch with some of the pioneers who have ceramic HRs and ask them how they are doing. Can they run? Jump? Do collision sports?


Of course, there could also be some unforeseen issue with the new ceramic implants, something only time will unearth. I seem to remember there was an issue with super mobile metal THRs due to fretting, with metal parts in the stem rubbing. There could be some sort of issue with how the ceramic devices are manufactured that creates a weak link.


Or they could be marvelous.


Two years ago I asked Dr Gross whether I ought to have surgery now or wait for the next big thing. He said ceramic was likely to be the next break thru, but I did not have time to wait for it.


Pat is having a phone conversation with Dr Mont, a long time HR researcher. Why don't you log on and ask him?


Dr Gross
11-15
bilat