The efficiency of the Sudan-III-staining to identify wear particles of pmma-bone cement in tissue after total endoprostheses.

On the basis of the newly-formed capsular tissue of 80 cemented (Weber-Huggler, Müller-Charnley) and uncemented (ceramic/ceramic/titanium) total hip endoprostheses which had to be reoperated on because of aseptic loosening, the efficiency of the Sudan-III-staining reported in literature to identify polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) bone cement particles is investigated, because the quantity as well as quality of the various wear products is discussed as possible factors of prostheses loosening. PMMA-, polyethylene and polyester particles show definite sudanophilia and orange-red coloration in the Sudan-III-stained frozen sections, so that only very large wear products utilizing the knowledge of the materials of the artificial joints used can be recognized by their forms, whereas the wear stored in the macrophages cannot be identified. Thus, Sudan-III-staining is not suitable for guaranteeing identification and determination of the amount of PMMA-wear.