Ceramic versus cobalt-chrome femoral components; wear of polyethylene insert in total knee prosthesis.
The present study aimed to determine the effect of femoral component materials and sterilization methods on wear properties of total knee prostheses by using a knee simulator test and retrieval analysis. The simulator test revealed that ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) inserts had remarkably lower wear against the ceramic femoral component than against the Co-Cr femoral component. However, the retrieval study revealed no significant difference in the linear wear between the former and the latter. The alumina ceramic/UHMWPE insert combination showed a mild wear. However, whether cross-linking by gamma-ray sterilization reduces wear remained unconfirmed. In contrast, oxidative degradation and/or delamination was confirmed. Thus, we conclude that alumina ceramic/ethylene oxide gas-sterilized UHMWPE insert in a total knee prosthesis might exhibit a good wear resistance.
H. Oonishi Memorial Joint Replacement Institute, Tominaga Hospital, Naniwa-ku, Osaka, Japan.
Hironobu
H
Oonishi
Masaru
M
Ueno
Sok Chol
SC
Kim
Hiroyuki
H
Oonishi
Mikio
M
Iwamoto
Masayuki
M
Kyomoto
D000537:Aluminum Oxide; D019645:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002858:Chromium Alloys; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D006622:Hip Prosthesis; D006801:Humans; D007595:Joint Prosthesis; D007720:Knee Prosthesis; D008422:Materials Testing; D020959:Polyethylene; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D011475:Prosthesis Failure; D013499:Surface Properties
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D002858:Chromium Alloys; D020959:Polyethylene; D000537:Aluminum Oxide