Ceramic acetabular liner fracture in total hip arthroplasty with a ceramic sandwich cup.

In total hip arthroplasty, a modular acetabular component with a sandwich insertion (alumina ceramics/polyethylene/titanium) was proposed. The polyethylene layer might reduce the rigidity of the ceramics and prevent an impingement between the ceramic liner rim and the femoral neck. A case of an acetabular liner fracture of the ceramic sandwich cup was presented. The fracture occurred 1.4 years after the operation without trauma. Because the ceramic liner rim was hit by the head following the impingement between the neck and the polyethylene, the cause of the fracture might be the stress concentration at the rim of the ceramic liner, of which the thickness was only 4 mm. At revision surgery, the fractured ceramic liner was replaced with a polyethylene liner without inner ceramic liner.