Comparison of the size and morphology of UHMWPE wear debris produced by a hip joint simulator under serum and water lubricated conditions

This paper investigates the effect of lubricant on the size and morphology of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) wear debris produced by a hip joint simulator. Bovine serum and water were chosen as the lubricants for comparison. When bovine serum was used as lubricant, the majority of...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Biomaterials 1996, Vol.17 (9), p.865-871
Main Authors: Wang, A., Essner, A., Stark, C., Dumbleton, J.H.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Biocompatible Materials - chemistry
Blood
Cattle
hip joint simulator
Hip Prosthesis - adverse effects
Humans
In Vitro Techniques
lubricant
Lubrication
Materials Testing - instrumentation
Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
Molecular Weight
Particle Size
Polyethylenes - chemistry
Prosthesis Failure
Surface Properties
transfer
UHMWPE
Water
wear debris
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Summary:This paper investigates the effect of lubricant on the size and morphology of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) wear debris produced by a hip joint simulator. Bovine serum and water were chosen as the lubricants for comparison. When bovine serum was used as lubricant, the majority of the wear debris produced was submicron sized and equiaxed or elongated in shape; no transfer film was found on the femoral heads. When water was used as lubricant, large pieces of thin UHMWPE flakes about 2–3 mm across were produced and patches of transfer films were observed on the femoral heads. These large flakes were comprised of numerous smaller thin flakes compacted together. While the size and shape of the wear debris produced with serum lubrication are similar to those reported from clinical studies in total hip replacement, the debris produced with water lubrication bears no resemblance to what has been seen clinically.
ISSN:0142-9612
1878-5905
DOI:10.1016/0142-9612(96)83281-9