Grafted Vitamin-E UHMWPE may increase the durability of posterior stabilized and constrained condylar total knee replacements.

The suitability of grafted vitamin-E highly crosslinked polyethylene (VE-HXPE) for use in posterior stabilized (PS) and constrained condylar knee (CCK) applications has not been explored. We hypothesized that VE-HXPE performs better than conventional and crosslinked polyethylene under clinically relevant conditions. PS tibial post fracture resistance under adverse shear loading conditions, CCK tibial post resistance to torsional fatigue, delamination resistance under high stress, and wear resistance were evaluated.

Local irradiation alters bone morphology and increases bone fragility in a mouse model.

Insufficiency fracture following radiation therapy (RTx) is a challenging clinical problem and typical bone mass measures fail to predict these fractures. The goals of this research were to develop a mouse model that results in reduced bone strength following focal irradiation, quantify morphological and strength changes occurring over time, and determine if a positive correlation between bone morphology and strength is retained after irradiation. Right hind limbs of 13 week-old female Balb/c mice were irradiated (5 or 20 Gy) using a therapeutic X-ray unit.

Microscale and nanoscale surface strain mapping of single asperity wear in ultra high molecular weight polyethylene: Effects of materials, load, and asperity geometry.

Wear of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) is a limiting factor in longevity of joint replacements. Therefore, there is a desire to create new materials and enhance processing conditions associated with current materials to reduce wear. This requires understanding the effects of processing on performance of implants and of micron-scale wear mechanisms ongoing.

Micromechanics of shelf-aged and retrieved UHMWPE tibial inserts: indentation testing, oxidative profiling, and thickness effects.

Understanding the surface micromechanical properties of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) may allow for improvement in its wear characteristics. Microtomed sections of two UHMWPE tibial bearings, one that had been irradiation sterilized and shelf-aged, and the other irradiation sterilized and used in a patient, were subjected to depth sensing indentation testing. The microtomed sections exhibited a white band in the subsurface region that is characteristic of oxidation, and the indentation testing, followed by FTIR analysis at the same testing locations, was performed across this region and into the bulk of the material.