<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p> This paper describes a case study summarising the failure analysis of a stainless steel femoral stem, which failed prematurely within 36 months of exploitation in human body. In order to determine the mechanism of failure, a broken stem component were analyzed by means of macroscopic and microscopic obserwations and hardness measurements. Metallurgical obserwations revealed that the tested material does fulfill ASTM requirements. Scanning electron microscopy images revealed the presence of stress-induced cracking. The results of the hardness revealed significant nonuniformity from the surface towards the inner part of the stem. It is assumed that any discontinuity or defect on the fracture surface of the stem acted as preferential site for a crack nucleation and propagation by fatigue until the cross section of stem was not able to sustain a load generated by a patient.</p></abstract>

This paper describes a case study summarising the failure analysis of a stainless steel femoral stem, which failed prematurely within 36 months of exploitation in human body. In order to determine the mechanism of failure, a broken stem component were analyzed by means of macroscopic and microscopic obserwations and hardness measurements. Metallurgical obserwations revealed that the tested material does fulfill ASTM requirements. Scanning electron microscopy images revealed the presence of stress-induced cracking. The results of the hardness revealed significant nonuniformity from the surface towards the inner part of the stem. It is assumed that any discontinuity or defect on the fracture surface of the stem acted as preferential site for a crack nucleation and propagation by fatigue until the cross section of stem was not able to sustain a load generated by a patient.

Failure Analysis of a Femoral Hip Stem Made of Stainless Steel After Short Time of Exposure

Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Division of Materials and Biomedical Engineering, Bialystok University of Technology, ul. Wiejska 45c, 15-351 Białystok, Poland

Acta Mechanica et Automatica

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

This paper describes a case study summarising the failure analysis of a stainless steel femoral stem, which failed prematurely within 36 months of exploitation...

Failure Analysis of a Femoral Hip Stem Made of Stainless Steel After Short Time of Exposure

Published Online: Dec 20, 2014

Page range: 146 - 150

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/ama-2014-0026

Keywords
Hip Replacement, Endoprosthesis Stem Fracture, Isolated Fracture, Total Hip Arthroplasty Complications, Fatigue Fracture

© Bialystok University of Technology

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Failure Analysis of a Femoral Hip Stem Made of Stainless Steel After Short Time of Exposure

Published Online: Dec 20, 2014

Page range: 146 - 150

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/ama-2014-0026

KeywordsHip Replacement, Endoprosthesis Stem Fracture, Isolated Fracture, Total Hip Arthroplasty Complications, Fatigue Fracture

© Bialystok University of Technology

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
Hip Replacement, Endoprosthesis Stem Fracture, Isolated Fracture, Total Hip Arthroplasty Complications, Fatigue Fracture