[Hip joint replacement in young patients].

The recent standard of hip-joint replacement after Charnley with metal-polyethylene combination and fixation by bone cement is charged with long term problems by wear (with foreign body reaction) and cement destruction by fatigue. Therefore the indication was limited to old patients with short life expectancy and left the problem of joint replacement in younger patients unresolved. By the use of highly wear resistant alumina ceramic and return to cementless anchorage, according to the principle of surface increase, a new technique of joint replacement by means of selflocking ceramic-autophor-prosthesis was created. The clinical experience is now 9 years. It shows that after some problems in the beginning mostly good results can be achieved. Therefore an extension of the indication for joint replacement for younger patients is justified.