Clinical and laboratory investigations of fretting and corrosion of a three-component modular femoral stem design.

A retrieval analysis of three modular femoral stems in vivo up to 25 months were examined using laboratory-based comparisons of similar devices as controls. The internal taper connection of each retrieved femoral component, and the laboratory controls were evaluated using SEM, EDAX, and epoxy vacuum infiltration. No corrosion of the substrate was detected for any of the retrievals. Fretting was mild on one retrieval and the in vitro-fatigued component, whereas minor fretting was observed for the other retrievals. Particulate debris was not evident as revealed by the epoxy infiltrate of the modular junction.