Evolution of alumina-on-alumina implants: a review

The use of alumina-on-alumina sliding surfaces for total hip replacement is becoming increasingly popular. The author has reviewed the 30-year history of this material. Technical aspects such as the quality of the material, quality of the design, and the risk of fracture are presented. The clinical results observed by the author are summarized with additional references to the results of other surgeons. The overall conclusion is that this material is very safe if all the quality requirements are met. The extremely low generation of wear debris and the excellent biologic tolerance of the material impart a long lifetime to the implant in young and active patients.