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OrthoVellum

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Adult Reconstruction
intermediate
X-Type

Trunnionosis and Taper Corrosion

Arthroplasty Complications

A 58-year-old man presents with groin pain 7 years after total hip arthroplasty with a modular cobalt-chrome femoral head on a titanium stem. Radiographs show well-fixed components but periarticular osteolysis. Serum cobalt level is 12 ppb (normal less than 1 ppb) and chromium is 8 ppb. MRI with metal artifact reduction shows a large fluid collection adjacent to the femoral component with soft tissue changes. Aspiration reveals sterile, greyish-brown fluid. Regarding trunnionosis and taper corrosion:

Mark each as TRUE or FALSE

A

Trunnionosis refers to mechanically-assisted crevice corrosion (MACC) at the head-neck junction (tap...

B

Risk factors include large femoral head size (increased moment arm and torsional forces), high offse...

C

Smaller femoral heads cause more trunnionosis than larger heads; matched alloy combinations (CoCr on...

D

Clinical presentation includes pain (groin, thigh, or buttock), swelling, squeaking, and in severe c...

E

Treatment involves revision arthroplasty with component exchange; the corroded trunnion should be ad...

Answer the questions to see explanations

Click T (True) or F (False) for each option