title: Effectiveness of Vitamin-E-Doped Polyethylene in Joint Replacement: A Literature Review.
abstract: Since polyethylene is one of the most frequently used biomaterials, such as in bearing components in joint arthroplasty, strong efforts have been made to improve the design and material properties over the last decades. Antioxidants, such as vitamin-E, seem to be a promising alternative to further increase durability and reduce polyethylene wear and degradation in the long-term. Nevertheless, even if several promising in vitro results are available, there is yet no clinical evidence that vitamin-E polyethylenes show these advantages in vivo. The aim of this paper was to provide a comprehensive overview on the current knowledge regarding the biological and mechanical proprieties of this biomaterial, underlying the in vitro and in vivo evidence for effectiveness of vitamin-E-doped polyethylene in joint arthroplasty.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Orthopaedics, Department of Clinical and Molecular Science, School of Medicine, Università Politecnica delle Marche, via Tronto 10/A, 60126 Ancona, Italy. a.gigante@univpm.it.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gigante
authors.affiliation: Clinical Orthopaedics, Department of Clinical and Molecular Science, School of Medicine, Università Politecnica delle Marche, via Tronto 10/A, 60126 Ancona, Italy. bottegonicarlo@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bottegoni
authors.affiliation: Research and Development Department, Permedica S.p.A., via Como 38, 23807 Merate (LC), Italy. vincenza.ragone@permedica.it.
authors.forename: Vincenza
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ragone
authors.affiliation: Research and Development Department, Permedica S.p.A., via Como 38, 23807 Merate (LC), Italy. lorenzo.banci@permedica.it.
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Banci
keywords: polyethylene; total joints replacement; vitamin E stabilized UHMPWE; α-tocopherol