Influences of sterilising techniques on polyethylene wear.
Over the last 10 years there has been increasing concern over wear of polyethylene and osteolytic potential in the knee. During this period there have been considerable developments in both the design, materials and sterilisation techniques used for polyethylene in the knee. This paper reviews wear performance of polyethylene sterilised by different techniques, under a range of kinematics conditions in a single knee joint simulator system. Reducations in polyethylene wear were found with both stabilised polyethylene and cross-linked polyethylene, and with rotating platform mobile bearing designs.
Fisher
J
J
Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK. j.fisher@leeds.ac.uk
McEwen
H M J
HM
Barnett
P I
PI
Bell
C
C
Stone
M H
MH
Ingham
E
E
D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D005720:Gamma Rays; D006801:Humans; D007720:Knee Prosthesis; D020959:Polyethylene / Q000528:radiation effects; D011095:Polyethylenes / Q000528:radiation effects; D011475:Prosthesis Failure; D013242:Sterilization / Q000379:methods
D011095:Polyethylenes; C111601:ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene; D020959:Polyethylene