Hip Squeaking after Ceramic-on-ceramic Total Hip Arthroplasty.

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Biomaterials Science
• Medical Acoustics

Background:

• Ceramic-on-ceramic (CoC) bearings are used in total hip arthroplasty (THA) for their wear resistance.
• Audible noise, specifically squeaking, is a reported complication following CoC THA.
• Understanding the causes of squeaking is crucial for improving patient outcomes and implant longevity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the characteristics and influencing factors of squeaking in CoC THA.
• To analyze the potential mechanisms contributing to hip squeaking.
• To synthesize current knowledge on the causes of audible noise after CoC THA.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature review of articles from PubMed and Web of Science.
• Inclusion of original articles and reviews focusing on CoC THA and hip squeaking.
• Search terms included: "total hip arthroplasty", "ceramic-on-ceramic", "hip squeaking", and "hip noise".

Main Results:

• The precise mechanism of squeaking in CoC THA remains undetermined.
• Potential causes include stripe wear, edge loading, third-body particles, ceramic liner fracture, and component resonance.
• Squeaking is influenced by patient-specific, surgical, and implant-related factors.

Conclusions:

• Squeaking is often attributed to increased wear or impingement, linked to prosthesis design, patient factors, or surgical techniques.
• Conflicting findings across studies highlight the need for further investigation.
• The definitive causes of squeaking after CoC THA require further identification.