The Effect of Polyethylene Cup Penetration on Acetabular Cement Fatigue Life

Aseptic loosening in the acetabular component is the most prevalent cause of failure in cemented total hip arthroplasty (THA) [1]. There is clinical evidence of high polyethylene cup wear accompanying acetabular aseptic loosening [2]. One such study discriminated between cups experiencing low and high wear, showing the revision rate in the high-wear group was approximately eight times that of the low-wear group after seventeen years in vivo, and could not be linked to osteolysis [2]. In the present study a finite element (FE) model was used to simulate aseptic loosening in THA acetabular components with different rates of polyethylene cup penetration to measure the effect on cement fatigue life.