SECTION I SYMPOSIUM: CERAMIC-ON-CERAMIC AND ALTERNATE BEARINGS IN JOINT REPLACEMENTS: EDITORIAL COMMENT

Although the new millennium has arrived, there have been many expectations for change throughout many areas of our daily lives. Judging by the stock market of the latter part of the last millennium and the early part of this millennium, and at the time this is being written, technology is in the forefront of most people’s minds. As such, it is appropriate that alternate bearings have reached a point in the United States where their approval and use is coincident with the new millennium. This symposium represents several selected papers that were presented at the First Annual Alternate Bearing Surfaces in Total Joint Replacement Symposium. This symposium, which now has become an annual event, has as its main mission to educate orthopaedic surgeons and other members in the orthopaedic community about the strengths, pitfalls, and applications of these new technologies in our patients. At the time of the symposium, there was minimal interest regarding cross-linked polyethylene, which now has moved to the forefront among alternate bearing surfaces being used in the United States. Although preliminary laboratory results are good and expectations are high, polyethylene always will remain a slave to third body wear. Hard-on-hard surface such as metal-on-metal and ceramic-on-ceramic continue to grow in popularity in Europe and other markets abroad and more than likely will have an increased presence in the United States as more devices with hard-on-hard beings are approved. The Guest Editors hope that readers will find the information and experiences presented by renowned authorities from the United States and abroad, to be interesting and informative. These devices will be in our midst and our patients will inquire about them.

Alternate bearings have had a long history dating back 30 years or more. Their reintroduction in more modern configurations with the proper laboratory and technologic support to enhance their opportunity for success, represents in our opinion, the next generation of total joint arthroplasty. Their emergence with the start of the new millennium is more than coincidental and is tremendously exciting.