Summary
New bearings for total hip arthroplasty (THA) have been introduced with the aim of reducing the number of biologically active wear particles. Crosslinked polyethylene, metal-on-metal, and ceramic-on-ceramic bearings have all demonstrated lower in vivo wear rates than conventional metal-on-plastic couples. The degree of wear reduction is promising, but it may not directly translate into greater longevity of a THA for all patients. Each new material needs to be evaluated clinically. The surgeon has to decide for each individual patient which bearing surface option is the most favourable.