Vitamin E infused highly cross-linked cemented cups in total hip arthroplasty show good wear pattern and stabilize satisfactorily: a randomized, controlled RSA trial with 5-year follow-up

Background and purpose — Vitamin E infused highly cross-linked polyethylene (VEPE) was introduced in order to enhance oxidative resistance in highly cross-linked polyethylene cups in total hip arthroplasty (THA). We have, with a follow-up of 5 years, evaluated wear characteristics of 2 identically designed cemented cups with the only difference being the material, VEPE or ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE). Furthermore, we report cup migration and clinical outcome.Patients and methods — 48 patients with primary osteoarthritis were randomized to either UHMWPE or VEPE cups. Patients were followed with radiostereometric analysis (RSA) from the first postoperative day, at 3 months, 1, 2, and 5 years as well as with hip-specific outcome questionnaires.Results — At 3 months the mean proximal head penetration for UHMWPE was 0.07 mm (95% CI 0.03–0.11) and for VEPE 0.06 mm (–0.01 to 0.13). Thereafter, there was a continuous annual wear of 0.08 mm/year, up to 0.46 mm (0.36–0.57) at 5 years, for the UHMWPE cup. The VEPE cup showed low annual wear of 0.01 mm/year, up to 0.09 mm (0.02–0.16) at 5 years. In the first 3 months the UHMWPEcup migrated cranially 0.08 mm (0.03–0.13) whereas the VEPE cup migrated 0.17 mm (0.10–0.24), Thereafter, they showed similar migration patterns with stabilization between 2 and 5 years up to 0.21 mm (0.04–0.39) and 0.24 mm (0.13–0.36) respectively. The HOOS remained good up to 5 years, and no cup was revised.Interpretation — Compared with otherwise identical UHMWPE cups the cemented VEPE cup shows statistically significant reduction of wear up to 5 years and both cup types stabilize well with good clinical outcome.