The natural history of metallosis from catastrophic failure of a polyethylene liner in a total hip.

We report on a case of metallosis initially presumed to be heterotopic ossification based on radiologic findings. A 68-year-old man with a total hip arthroplasty experienced failure of the polyethylene liner, resulting in articulation of the ceramic head with the titanium acetabular shell. During revision surgery, extensive metallic debris was evident macroscopically throughout the periprosthetic tissue and was confirmed histologically to be metallosis.