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Locking mechanism failure in the Harris-Galante porous acetabular component associated with recurrent hip dislocation

Christopher L Peters1, Charles L Sullivan

  • 1Department of Orthopedics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84132, USA. Chris.peters@hsc.utah.edu

In this review of longitudinal studies of the Harris-Galante porous acetabular component, 20% of all revisions were caused by failure of the polyethylene liner locking mechanism. We report 2 cases of locking mechanism failure in the Harris-Galante porous acetabular component presenting with recurrent dislocation. Broken tines from the acetabular locking mechanism were found embedded into the polyethylene liners in both cases. In a 79-year-old woman with recurrent dislocation, the polyethylene liner and femoral head were replaced, and the acetabular component was revised. In a 74-year-old man with chronic recurrent dislocation, the polyethylene liner and femoral head were replaced, but the acetabular component was preserved. Appropriate treatment for locking mechanism failure with a well-fixed acetabular component depends on many factors, and further long-term data are needed.

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