Taper corrosion

Surgical Insights

Taper corrosion

Risks, tools for diagnosis and surgical strategies The last thirty years have seen many advances in the field of orthopedic medicine. The introduction of a modular taper joint for use in hip arthroplasty was embraced by surgeons for its intraoperative flexibility. However, it‘s been discovered that the modular taper is prone to corrosion and linked to problems such as pain, instability, pseudotumors, poor outcomes, increased revision rates, and higher rates of mortality. Compounding the problem is the fact that researchers have not yet been able to reproduce the problem experimentally, which makes it a challenge to systematically understand the roles of contributing factors. Contributors: Moussa Hamadouche, Michael Morlock, Carsten Perka

Risk factors for taper corrosion in total hip arthroplasty