Long-term results after implantation of McKee-Farrar total hip prostheses.

From 1973 to 1976, McKee-Farrar total hip arthroplasties were performed in the Orthopaedics Department at the Centre of Pulmology. In the present study, only patients with a complete record of radiological changes at the bone/implant or bone/cement interface were evaluated. A series of 81 patients with 100 total hip prostheses in situ according to the Mayo Clinic hip score and 36 patients who had undergone 36 revision operations were studied. The design of the metal cup with metal studs at the outer surface has a favourable effect on the stability of the implant/cement combination: loosening at the implant/cement interface did not occur in any of these cases and there were few cement fractures. In spite of the metal-to-metal combination, abrasion is slight and there is no danger of metallosis.