Ceramic-ceramic bearing decreases osteolysis: a 20-year study versus ceramic-polyethylene on the contralateral hip

Although ceramic implants have been in use for many years and they are intended to minimize wear debris it is unknown whether alumina-on-alumina or alumina-on-polyethylene produce less wear and osteolysis. We therefore investigated wear and osteolysis on 28 bilateral arthroplasties (one ceramic-ceramic and the contralateral ceramic-polyethylene) of patients who had survived 20 years without revision and without loosening of either hip. Osteolysis was identified on anteroposterior pelvic radiographs and 3-D volume from CT scans. The number of osteolytic lesions detected with CT scan was higher than with radiographs. The number of lesions was higher on the side with the alumina-PE couple. With a similar length of followup on each side, the surface and the volume of osteolysis were consistently higher on the side with the alumina-PE couple. We found no correlation between the volume of osteolysis and the volume of estimated wear in each couple of friction. Hips with osteolysis had a lower Harris score.