Aseptic Loosening of Smaller Corail Stems in Heavy, Active Males: A Report of Three Cases

Recent concerns have been raised regarding a higher failure rate with smaller size Corail stems. This case series examines early aseptic loosening with smaller stems in three large male patients with Dorr A bone. Each stem was fluoroscopically aligned and sized until stable with axial and rotational stress. In each case, failure occurred within six months due to symptomatic metaphyseal debonding. Careful analysis suggests a correlation of failure to small size stems that are comparatively 1) undersized relative to the metaphysis, 2) undersized relative to patient body mass index, and 3) undersized relative to the amount of offset created.