title: Experimental testing of total knee replacements with UHMW-PE inserts: impact of severe wear test conditions.
abstract: Aseptic implant loosening due to inflammatory reactions to wear debris is the main reason for the revision of total knee replacements (TKR). Hence, the decrease in polyethylene wear particle generation from the articulating surfaces is aimed at improving implant design and material. For preclinical testing of new TKR systems standardized wear tests are required. However, these wear tests do not reproduce the entire in vivo situation, since the pattern and amount of wear and subsequent implant failure are underestimated. Therefore, daily activity, kinematics, implant aging and position, third-body-wear and surface properties have to be considered to estimate the wear of implant components in vivo. Hence, severe test conditions are in demand for a better reproduction of the in vivo situation of TKR. In the present article an overview of different experimental wear test scenarios considering clinically relevant polyethylene wear situations using severe test conditions is presented.
authors.affiliation: Biomechanics and Implant Technology Research Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedics, University Medicine Rostock, Doberaner Str. 142, 18057, Rostock, Germany, carmen.zietz@med.uni-rostock.de.
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zietz
authors.forename: Joern
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Reinders
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schwiesau
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Paulus
authors.forename: Jan Philippe
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Kretzer
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Grupp
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Utzschneider
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bader
mesh_terms: D019645:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D006801:Humans; D008422:Materials Testing; D011095:Polyethylenes
chemical_list: D011095:Polyethylenes; C111601:ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene