Fracture of a Charnley acetabular component from polyethylene wear.

A 42-year-old man incurred a fracture of the high-density polyethylene socket eight years after a Charnley arthroplasty with a 22 mm head. The excessive wear debris resulted in severe tissue reaction and included resorption of surrounding cancellous bone stock. Polyethylene component wear, occasionally seen in total hip arthroplasties, may be relatively more common in hip replacements that do not fail from loosening.