Ceramic hip bearings continuously gaining ground in US healthcare

On its 10th year anniversary, the American Joint Replacement Registry (AJRR) Annual Report 2023 confirms once again the trend towards using advanced materials such as high performance ceramic and XPE in the USA. Both materials have shown year after year that they reduce wear and improve both implant performance and patient outcomes.
 
The usage of ceramic heads over CoCr femoral heads is once again increasing this year, exceeding 81 %.

The authors of the registry emphasize fretting corrosion concerns as a major reason for using ceramic. It should also be mentioned that the advances in materials contributed to a decrease in the number of revisions related to wear and implant failure.
 
Infection and inflammatory reaction (22.51%) remain the most common reason for all revisions, followed by mechanical complications (20.8%), instability related codes (20.74%), aseptic loosening (19.71%), and pain (14.25%).

📚American Joint Replacement Registry (AJRR): 2023 Annual Report. Rosemont, IL: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), 2023.