The incidence and significance of rub marks on the stem of removed total hip replacements

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Abstract
This article presents data on the incidence of rub marks (burnishing) on the stems of 180 removed total hip replacement femoral components most of which were McKees and Stanmores. The incidence varied with the reason for removal. It was low for assorted removals excluding fractured stem removals, higher for “loose stem” removals, and highest for fractured stem removals. For “loose stem” removals, it appeared to increase with implantation time. For fractured stem removals it appeared to increase with the time elapsed between fracture and removal. On not‐fractured removal, rub marks appeared to indicate that the component had been loose, but on fractured stem removals they appeared to indicate only that the component had been loose after fracture.