[Mechanical failure of porous hydroxyapatite ceramics 7.5 years after implantation in the proximal tibial].

The treatment of osseous defects is widely established in the elderly. The number of positive reports on the successful application of bovine as well as coralline hydroxyapatite ceramics has continuously increased during the last few years. In trauma surgery hydroxyapatite ceramics are most commonly applied in metaphyseal defects evoked by traumatic fractures of the long bones. The bovine and coralline materials applied are biocompatible and exhibit an interconnecting porous system. Good osteoconductive properties of such materials have repeatedly been demonstrated. Due to possible harmful effects caused by abrasion of the material, intra-articular application should be strictly avoided. Biological degradation of the materials does not occur even during long-term follow-up. The application of hydroxyapatite ceramics was introduced at our institution in 1992. Since then, no adverse events have been observed and only a few relevant complications were described in the literature. We report on a patient revealing a mechanical failure of a bovine hydroxyapatite (Endobon) 7.5 years after implantation into a metaphyseal defect of the proximal tibia caused by a traumatic fracture.