Role of corrosion in taper failure and head disassociation in total hip arthroplasty of a single design

ABSTRACT Modular junctions have been associated with corrosion in total hip arthroplasty. In a small number of cases, disassociation of the femoral head from the stem following gross wear of the taper has been reported. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of corrosion in the development of mechanical changes leading to disassociation. Twenty‐one retrieved stems and heads of one design previously reported with head disassociation were identified in an IRB‐approved database. Components were scored for corrosion and measured for material loss. Stem alloy hardness was measured. Parametric and non‐parametric statistics were performed (α