A new method for isolation of polyethylene wear debris from tissue and synovial fluid.
Sub-micron-sized ultrahigh molecular-weight polyethylene (PE) debris is generated in the joint space as a result of articulation and cyclic loading of an orthopaedic implant. Its characterization requires isolation and subsequent analysis by ultra-structural methods. An innovative method based on the digestion of paraffin-embedded tissue samples was proposed. Tissue slices were digested with sodium hypochlorite directly on polycarbonate filter. The same procedure could be applied also to fresh synovial fluid. Plastic particles were not lost or damaged during treatment. Chemical identification of particles was done by micro-Raman spectroscopy that confirmed purity of retrieved PE particles. Size and shape of PE particles were characterised using scanning electron microscopy and were comparable in number and morphology to the retrieval by other authors. Equivalent diameter ranged from 0.48 to 0.95microm and particle number ranged from 9 to 23x10(9)/cm(3).
Visentin
Manuela
M
Laboratorio di Tecnologia Medica, Istituti Ortopedici Rizzoli, Via di Barbiano, 1/10, Bologna 40136, Italy. visentin@tecno.ior.it
Stea
Susanna
S
Squarzoni
Stefano
S
Antonietti
Barbara
B
Reggiani
Matteo
M
Toni
Aldo
A
D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008875:Middle Aged; D020959:Polyethylene / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman; D013582:Synovial Fluid / Q000737:chemistry*
D020959:Polyethylene