In Vivo Comparative Wear Study of Traditional and Highly Cross-linked Polyethylene in Total Hip Arthroplasty

• Published in: The Journal of arthroplasty Vol. 20; no. 7; pp. 880 - 886
• Main Authors: Manning, David W., Chiang, P.P., Martell, J.M., Galante, J.O., Harris, W.H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.10.2005
• Subjects: Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip; bedding-in; electron beam cross-linked polyethylene; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Hip Prosthesis; Humans; Male; Materials Testing; Middle Aged; Polyethylene; polyethylene wear; Prosthesis Design; Prosthesis Failure; steady-state wear; traditional polyethylene; electron beam cross-linked polyethylene; steady-state wear; traditional polyethylene; polyethylene wear; bedding-in
• ISSN: 0883-5403; 1532-8406
• DOI: 10.1016/j.arth.2005.03.033

In this study, we compare the in vivo wear performance of electron beam–irradiated, postirradiation-melted, highly cross-linked polyethylene (HXLPE) and traditional UHMWPE via the Martell method. Seventy hips with HXLPE performed at the Massachusetts General Hospital had 138 radiograph pairs for wear analysis and a 31.2-month average follow-up (range, 24-44 months). An age-matched, sex-matched, and body mass index–matched subgroup of 111 hips with 214 acceptable radiograph pairs and a 4-year follow-up from our previously published study on traditional polyethylene performed at Rush-Presbyterian–St. Luke's Medical Center served as a control group. Martell wear analysis was performed for each group. Overall and steady-state wear rates were compared via a specialized t test. The steady-state wear in the HXLPE arm was observed after 2.0 years, was 0.007 mm/y, and was significantly less than the steady-state wear in the traditional arm (0.174 mm/y) ( P = .003). Highly cross-linked polyethylene penetration rate was not affected by sex, age, activity, or body mass index by Mann-Whitney analysis.