The use of ceramic in prosthetic hip surgery. The state of the art.

The authors review current knowledge regarding the use of ceramic materials in prosthetic hip surgery, both as constituents of prosthetic components, and as materials used to coat metallic surfaces. A review of the literature defines the advantages and disadvantages to using ceramic-polyethylene or ceramic-ceramic combinations, based on the possibility that alumina coating may favor localized bone demineralization, and on the first promising clinical results of the use of hydroxyapatite coating.