05/16/2008- Artificial hips have a basic design: a socket implanted in the pelvis, into which a spherical head is fitted. A spike is attached to the head which his driven into the femur, or thigh bone for anchorage. Hip replacements are very common and more than 250,000 Americans get hip implants each year. The procedure costs approximately $45,000.00. The success rate is more than 90% based on generally pain-free mobility after recovery. The recovery period varies and can be from a few months to a year.
In the United States in 2003, a medical products company, Stryker, began marketing highly durable ceramic hips. Many patients chose the highly durable ceramic hip to avoid a second replacement later in life. These ceramic hips were promoted as lasting more than the 15 years for the conventional joints made of steel and plastic. Prior to that, squeaking was very rare after hip replacement. Individuals who opted to go with the ceramic hip are now saying that the squeaking hips is interfering with their daily life. Mr. Mueller, a software executive in Scottsdale, Arizona has become so frustrated with squeaking and popping noises from his ceramic hip that he has displayed his problem on YouTube.
“One study in the Journal of Arthroplasty found that 10 patients of 143 who received ceramic hips from 2003 to 2005, or 7 percent, developed squeaking. Meanwhile, no squeaks occurred among a control group of 48 patients who received hips made of metal and plastic.”
Patients and their surgeons fear that the squeaky ceramic hips may be an alarm that the joints are wearing out prematurely.
