Delamination and adhesive wear behavior of alpha-tocopherol-stabilized irradiated ultrahigh-molecular-weight polyethylene.

Wear and delamination of conventional ultrahigh-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) components used in total knee arthroplasty can compromise long-term performance. Radiation cross-linking and melt-annealing reduced wear and increased delamination resistance of UHMWPE. An alternative material is the alpha-tocopherol-stabilized irradiated UHMWPE (alphaTPE), with improved mechanical and fatigue properties vs irradiated and melted UHMWPE.

Anisotropy and oxidative resistance of highly crosslinked UHMWPE after deformation processing by solid-state ram extrusion.

Solid-state deformation processing is a promising technique for modifying the physical and mechanical properties of highly crosslinked ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) beyond simple thermal treatment cycles that have been employed previously. This study evaluates anisotropy and oxidative resistance in a novel, radiation crosslinked (50 kGy) UHMWPE material (ArComXL: Biomet, Inc., Warsaw, IN), incorporating solid-state, deformation processing by extrusion below the melt transition for application in total hip arthroplasty.

Micro-wear patterns on UHMWPE tibial inserts in total knee joint simulation.

The objective of this study was to examine both simulator and retrieved total knee replacement polyethylene inserts to confirm, using scanning electron microscopy, whether similar micro-wear patterns to those seen on retrieved inserts were reproduced on simulator specimens. The simulator specimens consisted of samples subjected to sliding and rolling movement (Experiment 1) and to sliding movement only (Experiment 2). Samples from Experiment 1 demonstrated longitudinal patterns in the middle of the wear track and transverse patterns in the anterior and posterior ends, whereas in Experiment 2, only transverse patterns were observed.