Poor mid-term results of total hip arthroplasty with use of a Hylamer liner.

Clinical results after total hip arthroplasty with the use of a Hylamer liner have been described as being poor. In this study, polyethylene wear rates as well as clinical results were assessed after hip arthroplasty using a Hylamer liner. Thirty patients were followed radiographically and clinically after total hip arthroplasty with a Hylamer liner. The mean follow-up was six years. Radiolucent lines and wear rates were evaluated in correlation to different parameters and clinical scores. Radiolucent zones were found in 40% of the femoral and 27% of the acetabular components. Wear rates showed no correlation to the clinical scores, nor to other parameters. The SF-36 questionnaire showed inferior results compared to healthy controls. These findings confirm the poor results described with Hylamer in current literature. A significant influence of the different patient or prosthesis specific parameters on the survival of the prosthesis could not be confirmed.