Failure of ceramic hip endoprostheses by slow crack growth--lifetime prediction

The slow crack propagation velocity v, which depends on the stress intensity factor K, has been measured for three different high-density aluminas. Assuming a load history for the prosthesis which approximates conditions during walking, the lifetimes of the components of a total hip endoprosthesis were calculated as a function of the initial flaw size. Different geometries for the preexisting cracks, as well as varying physiological parameters, were considered. It is shown that the lifetime is very dependent on the quality of the material and that it is reduced by increased body weight, walking speed, and varus positioning. Comparison of failure behavior in different parts of the femoral component showed that flaws in the stem must be one order of magnitude smaller than those in the neck to achieve comparable lifetimes.