Wear rates of highly cross-linked polyethylene humeral liners subjected to alternating cycles of glenohumeral flexion and abduction

• Published in: Journal of shoulder and elbow surgery 2015-01, Vol.24 (1), p.143-149
• Main Authors: Peers, Sebastian, MD, Moravek, James E., MD, Budge, Matthew D., MD, Newton, Michael D., BS, Kurdziel, Michael D., MS, Baker, Kevin C., PhD, Wiater, J. Michael, MD
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Arthroplasty, Replacement - adverse effects; Arthroplasty, Replacement - instrumentation; Biocompatible Materials; Equipment Failure Analysis; highly cross-linked polyethylene; Humans; Humerus; in vitro wear simulation; Joint Prosthesis - adverse effects; Materials Testing; Orthopedics; Polyethylene; Prosthesis Failure; Range of Motion, Articular; Reverse total shoulder arthroplasty; scapular notching; Shoulder Joint - surgery; wear particle analysis
• ISSN: 1058-2746; 1532-6500
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jse.2014.05.001

Background Although short-term outcomes of reverse total shoulder arthroplasty have been promising, long-term success may be limited due to device-specific complications, including scapular notching. Scapular notching has been explained primarily as mechanical erosion; however, the generation of wear debris may lead to further biologic changes contributing to the severity of scapular notching. Methods A 12-station hip simulator was converted to a reverse total shoulder arthroplasty wear simulator subjecting conventional and highly cross-linked ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene humeral liners to 5 million cycles of alternating abduction-adduction and flexion-extension loading profiles. Results Highly cross-linked polyethylene liners (36.5 ± 10.0 mm3 /million cycle) exhibited significantly lower volumetric wear rates compared with conventional polyethylene liners (83.6 ± 20.6 mm3 /million cycle; P