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Migration of polyethylene particles around nonloosened cemented femoral components from a total hip arthroplasty—an autopsy study
Author(s) -
Massin Philippe,
Chappard Daniel,
Flautre Brigitte,
Hardouin Pierre
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
journal of biomedical materials research part b: applied biomaterials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.665
H-Index - 108
eISSN - 1552-4981
pISSN - 1552-4973
DOI - 10.1002/jbm.b.30001
Subject(s) - medullary cavity , materials science , cancellous bone , polyethylene , osteolysis , total hip arthroplasty , cement , fixation (population genetics) , medicine , dentistry , biomedical engineering , composite material , anatomy , surgery , population , environmental health
Three cemented femoral components from total hip arthroplasties retrieved at autopsy were examined in regard to the migration of birefringent polyethylene particles across the fixation interfaces. They were obtained from two patients who died from unrelated causes. They had been in place, respectively, for 8 and 9 years (first patient) and for 9 years (second patient). Osteolysis was present in the acetabular side only. The femoral components were not loosened. Histologic sections were performed at four levels of the femoral components, and polyethylene particles were counted with the use of a semiautomatic image analyzer. Sections below the tip of the stem were treated by deorganification and the lysate was centrifuged in the attempt to isolate wear debris. Particles were found at both interfaces (bone–cement and metal–cement) and in the cancellous bone between the trabeculae. They were also present in the Haversian canals of the cortical bone. Particles of various sizes were found in the medullary canal beneath the tip of the stem. In scanning electron microscopy, they appeared to have irregular shapes. Wear debris can migrate across the cement–bone interface of nonloosened implants. They appear to progress through the porosity of the cancellous bone. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater 69B: 205–215, 2004