High failure rate of the Duraloc Constrained Inlay

Background and purpose After total hip arthroplasty, dislocations are a frequent complication and are difficult to treat in some patients. A great variety of implants and antiluxation mechanisms are used in surgical therapy.

Methods 8 patients had 9 Duraloc Constrained Inlays implanted at our clinic between October 2003 and November 2006, for recurrent dislocations. A retrospective follow-up study was carried out.

Results All patients suffered a failure of the expanding ring, the metal ring being squeezed out of the polyethylene notch. The mechanism of failure can be explained by impingement due to the implant design. At the time of writing, 3 patients have had to undergo revision surgery.

Interpretation The Duraloc Constrained Inlay has shown unacceptably high failure rates.