Hip simulator testing of the taper‐trunnion junction and bearing surfaces of contemporary metal‐on‐cross‐linked‐polyethylene hip prostheses

Adverse reaction to metal debris released from the taper‐trunnion junction of modular metal‐on‐polyethylene (MoP) total hip replacements (THRs) is an issue of contemporary concern. Therefore, a hip simulator was used to investigate material loss, if any, at both the articulating and taper‐trunnion surfaces of five 32‐mm metal‐on‐cross‐linked‐polyethylene THRs for 5 million cycles (Mc) with a sixth joint serving as a dynamically loaded soak control. Commercially available cobalt–chromium–molybdenum femoral heads articulating against cross‐linked polyethylene (XLPE) acetabular liners were mounted on 12/14 titanium (Ti6Al4V) trunnions. Weight loss (mg) was measured gravimetrically and converted into volume loss (mm 3 ) for heads, liners, and trunnions at regular intervals. Additionally, posttest volumetric wear measurements of the femoral tapers were obtained using a coordinate measuring machine (CMM). The surface roughness (Sa) of femoral tapers was measured posttest. After 5 Mc, the mean volumetric wear rate for XLPE liners was 2.74 ± 0.74 mm 3 /Mc. The CMM measurements confirmed material loss from the femoral taper with the mean volumetric wear rate of 0.045 ± 0.024 mm 3 /Mc. The Sa on the worn area of the femoral taper showed a significant increase ( p < 0.001) compared with the unworn area. No other long‐term hip simulator tests have investigated wear from the taper‐trunnion junction of contemporary MoP THRs. © Crown Copyright. Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part B: Applied Biomaterials 108B:156–166, 2020.