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In vivo comparison of wear particles between highly crosslinked polyethylene and conventional polyethylene in the same design of total knee arthroplasties
Author(s) -
Iwakiri Kentaro,
Minoda Yukihide,
Kobayashi Akio,
Sugama Ryo,
Iwaki Hiroyoshi,
Inori Fumiaki,
Hashimoto Yusuke,
Ohashi Hirotsugu,
Ohta Yoichi,
Fukunaga Kenji,
Takaoka Kunio
Publication year - 2009
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.31458
Subject(s) - polyethylene , cross linked polyethylene , materials science , scanning electron microscope , particle size , composite material , chemistry
Reduction of wear with highly crosslinked polyethylene (HXLPE) has been reported in in vitro and in vivo studies of total hip prostheses. However, use of HXLPE in total knee prostheses is still controversial. The aim of this study was to compare in vivo polyethylene wear particle generation of HXLPE with that of conventional polyethylene in total knee prostheses of the same design. Synovial fluid was obtained from four knees with HXLPE inserts and three knees with conventional polyethylene inserts at 1 year after operation. Polyethylene particles were isolated and examined using a scanning electron microscope and image analyzer. The total number of particles in each knee was 0.28 ± 0.12 × 10 6 in HXPLE group (mean ± standard error) and 6.87 ± 2.85 × 10 6 in conventional polyethylene group ( p = 0.040). Particle size (equivalent circle diameter) was 0.64 ± 0.07 μm in HXPLE group and 1.21 ± 0.21 μm in conventional polyethylene group ( p = 0.030). Particle shape (aspect ratio) was 1.33 ± 0.10 in HXLPE and 1.88 ± 0.19 in conventional polyethylene ( p = 0.035). Thepercentage of particles of submicron size was greater than 90% in HXLPE group and 55% in conventional polyethylene group. Except for the material of the polyethylene insert, the design and material of prostheses were completely the same in both groups. The HXLPE insert generated fewer, smaller, and rounder polyethylene wear particles than the conventional polyethylene insert in the early stage after surgery. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 2009