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Reducing fretting‐initiated crevice corrosion in hip simulator tests using a zirconia‐toughened alumina femoral head
Author(s) -
Kyomoto Masayuki,
Shoyama Yuichi,
Saiga Kenichi,
Moro Toru,
Ishihara Kazuhiko
Publication year - 2018
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.34062
Subject(s) - fretting , corrosion , femoral head , materials science , bearing surface , crevice corrosion , alloy , head (geology) , ceramic , metallurgy , composite material , surgery , medicine , lubrication , geomorphology , geology
Taper fretting corrosion is considered a potentially limiting factor for total hip arthroplasty longevity. Recently, attention has been focused on new materials for ceramic femoral heads, for example, zirconia‐toughened alumina (ZTA), since they have an alternative bearing surface that can improve the wear resistance. Moreover, ceramics have high chemical stability and corrosion resistance. In this study, we evaluated the effects of ZTA and Co–Cr–Mo alloy femoral heads on their taper fretting and/or corrosion characteristics under a controlled hip simulator test. After the test, less fretting and corrosion were observed in the taper surface of the trunnion against the ZTA femoral head than for that against the Co–Cr–Mo alloy femoral head. In addition, corrosion damages were only observed in the lateral‐distal taper surface (noncontact area) of the trunnion in the Co–Cr–Mo alloy femoral head group. The ZTA femoral head group also eliminated the potential for Co ion release into the lubricants from taper corrosion, reducing the possibility of adverse local tissue inflammatory responses. In conclusion, ZTA femoral heads showed markedly less fretting corrosion compared to Co–Cr–Mo alloy femoral heads and have a lower potential for metal ion release. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 106B: 2815–2826, 2018.