Health Sciences · Temerty Faculty of Medicine
Three examples of acetabular components of hip prostheses.
2025.med.57.1 – A metal hemisphere (a titanium acetabular shell) with a porous outer surface of extremely fine beads. The centre of the sphere has a threaded hole, presumably to permit the use of an impactor tool used in implantation. The inner surface is smooth. The interior of the rim has a wire ring that is used to retain a polyethylene liner.
2025.med.57.2 – An assembly (tripolar constrained acetabular liner) consisting primarily of a roughly hemispherical white plastic (polyethylene) outer liner that retains an inner bipolar liner. The bearing surface of the inner liner is metal. The polyethylene liner has a metal locking on its outer ring.
2025.med.57.3 – A white plastic (polyethylene) component. This has a series of prominent grooves and indentations on its outer surface. It is likely a cemented acetabular component.
Accession Number: 2025.med.57.1-3
Alternative Name:
Titanium (acetabular shell), Various structural metal alloys, Polyethelene (High-density polyethylene ‘HDPE’ and/ or Ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene ‘UHMWPE’)
2025.med.57.1: Stamped or engraved on rim at the base of the hemisphere: “D 1247-62 T // 62mm // T3GCMA”
2025.med.57.2: Embossed or engraved on lower outer syrface of outer shell: “50mm”, “1THGE”
Printed on lower metal rim of outer shell: ” 2099-2250 T”
Engrave on lower plastic rim of inner hemisphere: “[unidentified logo] UHMWPE-C// 53699301// UH1-36-22”
2025.med.57.1: Height = 3, Width = 6, Length = 6; 2025.med.57.2: Height = 3.5, Width = 5, Length = 5; 2025.med.57.3: Height = 3, Width = 4.5, Length = 4.5. –
This is an assortment of acetabular shell components donated by Dr. Allan Gross of Mount Sinai Hospital. Given Dr. Gross’ specialization in revision arthroplasty, they likely relate primarily to that specialty.
An acetabular shell is the part of the hip prosthesis that replaces the bearing surface of the acetabulum (socket) of the hip joint and retains the head of the femoral prosthesis.
2025.med.57.1 is a titanium acetabular shell with a porous surface of sintered beads. This forms the outer surface of the modular acetabular assembly with the porous surface promoting tissue ingrowth.
2025.med.57.2 is a tripolar constrained acetabular liner, an example of a modular component that might fit inside an titanium acetabular shell. The constrained liner is typical of revision arthroplasty and is used in cases of repeated dislocations of a hip arthroplasty and other conditions of implant instability. It constrains the head of the femoral component, preventing dislocation.
2025.med.57.3 is likely a cemented polyethylene acetabular component. Such liners are used as an alternative to titanium acetabular shells in cases in which tissue ingrowth is likely to be minimal.
2025.med.57.1 and 2025.med.57.2 appear unused and in excellent condition. 2025.med.57.3 is heavily worn on its outer surface.
Associated Instruments:
Manufacturer: Various
Date of Manufacture: c. 1990s to 2000s
These items were among a small collection of artifacts donated by Dr. Allan Gross of Mount Sinai Hospital on 14 April 2025.
Stephen A. Jones (2018). “Constrained Acetabular Liners.” The Journal of Arthroplasty 33(5): 1331–36.
Historical Notes: