The effect of patient gait on the material properties of UHMWPE in hip replacements.

The wear of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) acetabular components in total hip replacements (THRs) has been shown to be highly dependent on the direction of shear. Greatly reduced wear rates have been reported for unidirectional, compared to multidirectional, articulation in vitro. This work for the first time enables investigation of a relationship between clinical wear conditions, as determined by patient gait path, and the mechanical and structural changes that occur within the UHMWPE acetabular component.

Formation of Propionibacterium acnes biofilms on orthopaedic biomaterials and their susceptibility to antimicrobials.

Failure to treat and eradicate prosthetic hip infection with systemic antibiotic regimens is usually due to the fact that the infection is associated with biofilm formation and that bacterial cells growing within a biofilm exhibit increased resistance to antimicrobial agents. In this in vitro study, we investigated the susceptibility of prosthetic hip Propionibacterium acnes and Staphylococcus spp. isolates growing within biofilms on polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) bone cement to a range of antibiotics.

Recurrent hip arthroplasty dislocation: good outcome after cup augmentation in 20 patients followed for 2 years.

Recurrent posterior dislocation occurs after primary total hip arthroplasty at rates of up to 7%. Component revision is regarded as standard management, but this major surgery may be unsuitable for elderly patients. We have developed a congruent polyethylene acetabular posterior lip augmentation device (PLAD) with a stainless steel backing plate.