Dynamic computational wear model of PEEK-on-XLPE bearing couple in total hip replacements

• Published in: Medical engineering & physics 2023-07, Vol.117, p.104006-104006, Article 104006
• Main Authors: Alpkaya, Alican Tuncay, Mihcin, Senay
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Archard wear law; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip; Finite element model; Hip Prosthesis; Humans; Ketones; PEEK-on-XLPE; Polyethylene; Polyethylene Glycols; Prosthesis Design; Prosthesis Failure; Total hip replacement; Wear predict model
• ISSN: 1350-4533; 1873-4030
• DOI: 10.1016/j.medengphy.2023.104006

•A comprehensive computational analysis on the wear performance of PEEK OPTIMA-on-XLPE and CoCr-on-XLPE under a three-dimensional gait cycle under more than a million cycle as mandated by ISO 14,242–3 using a finite element modeling method.•The contact pressure, wear sliding distance and contacting area values are obtained from the model to predict the linear and volumetric wear rates.•The worn geometry has been updated at specific cycles to increase the biofidelity of the model.•The linear wear of CoCr-on-XLPE is approximately seven times higher than the wear of PEEK OPTIMA-on-XLPE. Similarly, the volumetric wear rate of CoCr-on-XLPE is approximately six times higher than the wear of PEEK OPTIMA-on-XLPE.•PEEK OPTIMA could be proposed as an alternative material to replacing metal component in THR. Understanding wear mechanisms is a key factor to prevent primary failures causing revision surgery in total hip replacement (THR) applications. This study introduces a wear prediction model of (Polyetheretherketone) PEEK-on-XLPE (cross-linked polyethylene) bearing couple utilized to investigate the wear mechanism under 3D-gait cycle loading over 5 million cycles (Mc). A 32-mm PEEK femoral head and 4-mm thick XLPE bearing liner with a 3-mm PEEK shell are modeled in a 3D explicit finite element modeling (FEM) program. The volumetric and linear wear rates of XLPE liner per every million cycles were predicted as 1.965 mm3/Mc, and 0.0032 mm/Mc respectively. These results are consistent with the literature. PEEK-on-XLPE bearing couple exhibits a promising wear performance used in THR application. The wear pattern evolution of the model is similar to that of conventional polyethylene liners. Therefore, PEEK could be proposed as an alternative material to the CoCr head, especially used in XLPE-bearing couples. The wear prediction model could be utilized to improve the design parameters with the aim of prolonging the life span of hip implants.