Studies that have previously examined the relationship between inclination angle and polyethylene wear have shown increased wear of conventional polyethylene with high inclination angles. To date, there have been no long term in vivo studies examining the correlation between cup position and polyethylene wear with highly crosslinked polyethylene.

An institutional arthroplasty database was used to identify patients who had metal-on-highly crosslinked polyethylene primary total hip arthroplasty (THA) using the same component design with a minimum follow up of 10 years ago. A modified RSA examination setup was utilised, recreating standard anteroposterior (AP) and cross-table lateral exams in a single biplane RSA acquisition. Three dimensional head penetration was measured using the centre index method. The same radiographs were used to measure inclination angle and anteversion. Spearman correlation was used to show an association between the parameters of acetabular position and wear rate.

A total of 43 hips were included for analysis in this study. Average follow-up was 12.3 ± 1.2 years. The average linear wear rate was calculated to be 0.066 ± 0.066 mm/year. Inclination angle was not correlated with polyethylene wear rate (p=0.82). Anteversion was also not correlated with polyethylene wear rate (p=0.11). There was no statistical difference between wear rates of hips within Lewinnek's “safe zone” and those outside this “safe zone” (p=0.11). Males had a higher wear rate of 0.094 ± 0.089 mm/year compared to females with a wear rate of 0.046 ± 0.032 mm/year (p=0.045).

At long term follow up of greater than 10 years, highly cross linked polyethylene has very low wear rates. This excellent tribology is independent of acetabular position, but gender did impact wear rates. Due to the low wear rates, follow-up of even longer term is suggested to examine variables affecting wear.

With the introduction of highly crosslinked polyethylene (HXLPE) in total hip arthroplasty (THA), orthopaedic surgeons have moved towards using larger femoral heads at the cost of thinner liners to decrease the risk of instability. Several short and mid-term studies have shown minimal liner wear with the use HXLPE liners, but the safety of using thinner HXPLE liners to maximize femoral head size remains uncertain and concerns that this may lead to premature failure exist. Our objective was to analyze the outcomes for primary THA done with HXLPE liners in patients who have a 36-mm head or larger and a cup of 52-mm or smaller, with a minimum of 10-year follow-up. Additionally, linear and volumetric wear rates of the HXLPE were evaluated in those with a minimum of seven-year follow-up. We hypothesized that there would be minimal wear and good clinical outcome. Between 2000 and 2010, we retrospectively identified 55 patients that underwent a primary THA performed in a high-volume single tertiary referral center using HXLPE liners with 36-mm or larger heads in cups with an outer diameter of or 52-mm or smaller. Patient characteristics, implant details including liner thickness, death, complications, and all cause revisions were recorded. Patients that had a minimum radiographic follow-up of seven years were assessed radiographically for linear and volumetric wear. Wear was calculated using ROMAN, a validated open-source software by two independent researchers on anteroposterior X-rays of the pelvis. A total of 55 patients were identified and included, with a mean age of 74.8 (range 38.67 - 95.9) years and a mean BMI of 28.98 (range 18.87 - 63-68). Fifty-one (94.4%) of patients were female. Twenty-six (47.7%) patients died during the follow-up period. Three patients were revised, none for liner wear, fracture or dissociation. Twenty-two patients had a radiographic follow-up of minimum seven years (mean 9.9 years, min-max 7.5 –13.7) and were included in the long-term radiographic analysis. Liner thickness was 5.5 mm at 45 degrees in all cases but one, who had a liner thickness of 4.7mm, and all patients had a cobalt-chrome head. Cup sizes were 52mm (n=15, 68%) and 50mm (n=7, 32%). Mean linear liner wear was 0.0470 mm/year (range 0 - 0.2628 mm) and mean volumetric wear was 127.69 mm3/year (range 0 - 721.23 mm3/year). Using HXLPE liners with 36-mm heads or bigger in 52-mm cups or smaller is safe, with low rates of linear and volumetric wear in the mid to long-term follow-up. Patients did not require revision surgery for liner complications, including liner fracture, dissociation, or wear. Our results suggest that the advantages of using larger heads should outweigh the potential risks of using thin HXLPE liners

This study reports the ten-year polyethylene liner wear rates, incidence of osteolysis, clinical outcomes and complications of a three-arm, multicentre randomised controlled trial comparing Cobalt-Chrome (CoCr) and Oxidised Zirconium (OxZr) femoral heads with ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) versus highly cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) liners in total hip arthroplasty (THA). Patients undergoing THA from four institutions were prospectively randomised into three groups. Group A received a CoCr femoral head and XLPE liner; Group B received an OxZr femoral head and XLPE liner; and Group C received an OxZr femoral head and UHMWPE liner. Blinded observers recorded predefined outcomes in 262 study patients at regular intervals for ten years following THA. At ten years follow-up, increased linear wear rates were recorded in group C compared to group A (0.133 ± 0.21 mm/yr vs 0.031 ± 0.07 mm/yr respectively, p<0.001) and group B (0.133 ± 0.21 mm/yr vs 0.022 ± 0.05 mm/yr respectively, p<0.001). Patients in group C were associated with increased risk of osteolysis and aseptic loosening requiring revision surgery compared with group A (7/133 vs 0/133 respectively, p=0.007) and group B (7/133 vs 0/135 respectively, p=0.007). There was a non-significant trend towards increased liner wear rates in group A compared to group B (0.031 ± 0.07 mm/yr vs 0.022 ± 0.05 mm/yr respectively, p=0.128). All three groups were statistically comparable preoperatively and at ten years follow-up when measuring normalised Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index(p=0.410), short-form-36 (p = 0.465 mental, p = 0.713 physical), and pain scale scores (p=0.451). The use of UHMWPE was associated with progressively increased annual liner wear rates after THA. At ten years follow-up, this translated to UHMWPE leading to an increased incidence of osteolysis and aseptic loosening requiring revision THA, compared with XLPE. Femoral heads composed of OxZr were associated with a non-significant trend towards reduced wear rates compared to CoCr, but this did not translate to any differences in osteolysis, functional outcomes, or revision surgery between the two treatments groups

This study reports the ten-year outcomes of a three-arm, multicentre randomised controlled trial comparing Cobalt-Chrome (CoCr) and Oxidised Zirconium (OxZr) femoral heads with ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) versus highly cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) liners in total hip arthroplasty (THA). Patients undergoing THA from four institutions were prospectively randomised into three groups. Group A received a CoCr femoral head and XLPE liner; Group B received an OxZr femoral head and XLPE liner; and Group C received an OxZr femoral head and UHMWPE liner. The outcomes of 262 study patients were analysed at ten years follow-up. At ten years, increased linear wear rates were recorded in group C compared to group A (0.133 ± 0.21 mm/yr vs 0.031 ± 0.07 mm/yr respectively, p<0.001) and group B (0.133 ± 0.21 mm/yr vs 0.022 ± 0.05 mm/yr respectively, p<0.001). Patients in group C had increased risk of osteolysis and aseptic loosening requiring revision surgery compared with group A (7/133 vs 0/133 respectively, p=0.007) and group B (7/133 vs 0/135 respectively, p=0.007). There was a non- significant trend towards increased liner wear rates in group A compared to group B (0.031 ± 0.07 mm/yr vs 0.022 ± 0.05 mm/yr respectively, p=0.128). All three groups were statistically comparable preoperatively and at ten years follow-up from a clinical score perspective. The use of UHMWPE was associated with progressively increased annual liner wear rates. At ten years follow-up, this translated to an increased incidence of osteolysis and aseptic loosening requiring revision, compared with XLPE. Femoral heads composed of OxZr were associated with a non-significant trend towards reduced wear rates compared to CoCr, but this did not translate to any differences in osteolysis, functional outcomes, or revision surgery between the two treatments groups

Introduction. Total Hip Arthroplasty (THA) devices are now increasingly subjected to a progressively greater range of kinematic and loading regimes from substantially younger and more active patients. In the interest of ensuring adequate THA solutions for all patient groups, THA polyethylene acetabular liner (PE Liner) wear representative of younger, heavier, and more active patients (referred to as HA in this study) warrants further understanding. Previous studies have investigated HA joint related morbidity [1]. Current or past rugby players are more likely to report osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, and joint replacement than a general population. This investigation aimed to provide a preliminary understanding of HA patient specific PE liner tribological performance during Standard Walking (SW) gait in comparison to IS0:14242-1:2014 standardized testing. Materials and Methods. Nine healthy male subjects volunteered for a gait lab-based study to collect kinematics and loading profiles. Owing to limitations in subject selection, five subjects wore a weighted jacket to increase Body Mass Index ≥30 (BMI). An induced increase in Bodyweight was capped (<30%BW) to avoid significantly effecting gait [3] (mean=11%BW). Six subjects identified as HA per BMI≥30, but with anthropometric ratios indicative of lower body fat as previously detailed by the author [2] (Waist-to-hip circumference ratio and waist circumference-to-height ratio). Three subjects identified as Normal (BMI<25). Instrumented force plate loading profiles were scaled (≈270%BW) in agreement with instrumented hip force data [4]. A previously verified THA (Pinnacle® Marathon® 36×56mm, DePuy Synthes) Finite Element Analysis wear model based on Archard's law and modified time hardening model [5] was used to predict geometrical changes due to wear and deformation, respectively (Figure 1). Subject dependent kinematic and loading conditions were sampled to generate, for both legs, 19 SW simulation runs using a central composite design of response surface method. Results. HA group demonstrated comparable SW gait characteristics and Range of Motion (RoM) to the Normal group (p>0.1) (Figure 2) but statistically greater SW peak loads, PE liner wear rates, deformation, and penetration after 3Mc (Million cycles) of SW (p<0.01). HA group demonstrated comparable RoM (p>0.4) and peak loading to ISO-14242-1:2014 (p>0.1) although, up to 8° increase in flexion-extension angle was observed. The HA group demonstrated statistically greater wear rates (mean 7.5% increase) to ISO-14242-1:2014 (p<0.05) (Figure 3). No difference in PE liner deformation or penetration was observed (p>0.4). Discussion. This study detailed only a 19. th. percentile within a broader HA population (BW=91kg, n=485) [6] however, were statistically worst-case compared to a Normal group and ISO-14242-1:2014. A 95. th. percentile HA population (BW=127kg) may produce lower PE liner tribological performance than reported in this investigation and therefore, warrants further investigation. Further studies would be beneficial to determine whether the increase in PE liner wear rate for HA patients is predictable based on kinematics and loading alone, or whether influences exist in design inputs and surgical factors. Conclusion. The HA population detailed in this study (representative of a 19. th. percentile) demonstrated statistically greater SW PE liner wear rates compared to ISO-14242-1:2014. This study may have implications for the test methods considered appropriate to verify novel designs. For any figures or tables, please contact the authors directly

Aims. Total hip arthroplasty (THA) in patients with post-polio residual paralysis (PPRP) is challenging. Despite relief in pain after THA, pre-existing muscle imbalance and altered gait may cause persistence of difficulty in walking. The associated soft tissue contractures not only imbalances the pelvis, but also poses the risk of dislocation, accelerated polyethylene liner wear, and early loosening. Methods. In all, ten hips in ten patients with PPRP with fixed pelvic obliquity who underwent THA as per an algorithmic approach in two centres from January 2014 to March 2018 were followed-up for a minimum of two years (2 to 6). All patients required one or more additional soft tissue procedures in a pre-determined sequence to correct the pelvic obliquity. All were invited for the latest clinical and radiological assessment. Results. The mean Harris Hip Score at the latest follow-up was 79.2 (68 to 90). There was significant improvement in the coronal pelvic obliquity from 16.6. o. (SD 7.9. o. ) to 1.8. o. (SD 2.4. o. ; p < 0.001). Radiographs of all ten hips showed stable prostheses with no signs of loosening or migration, regardless of whether paralytic or non-paralytic hip was replaced. No complications, including dislocation or infection related to the surgery, were observed in any patient. The subtrochanteric shortening osteotomy done in two patients had united by nine months. Conclusion. Simultaneous correction of soft tissue contractures is necessary for obtaining a stable hip with balanced pelvis while treating hip arthritis by THA in patients with PPRP and fixed pelvic obliquity. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2021;2(9):696–704

Vitamin E-doped cross-linked polyethylene (VEPE) has encouraged the use of larger heads in thinner liners in total hip arthroplasty (THA). However, there are concerns about wear and mechanical failure of the thin liner, especially when metal heads are used. The aim of this randomized controlled trial was to investigate if the use of a large metal head in a thin VEPE liner would increase polyethylene wear compared with a standard 32-mm metal head and to compare periacetabular radiolucencies and patient-reported outcomes in THA. 96 candidates for uncemented THA were randomly allocated to either the largest possible metal head (36–44 mm) that could be fitted in the thinnest available VEPE liner (intervention group) or a standard 32-mm metal head (control group). The primary outcome was proximal head penetration (PHP) measured with model-based radiostereometric analysis (RSA). Secondary outcomes were periacetabular radiolucencies and patient-reported outcomes. The mid-term results of the trial at 5 years are presented. Median total PHP (interquartile range) was -0.04 mm (−0.12 to 0.02) in the intervention group and -0.03 mm (=0.14 to 0.05) in the control group (p=0.691). The rates of periacetabular radiolucencies were 1/44 and 4/42 (p=0.197), respectively. Patient-reported hip function and health-related quality of life did not differ between the groups, but participants in the intervention group reported a higher level of activity (median UCLA rank 7 vs 6, p=0.020). There were 5 revisions caused by dislocations (2), periprosthetic fracture (1), stem subsidence (1), or iliopsoas impingement (1). Large metal heads in thin VEPE liners did not increase liner wear and were not associated with liner failure 5 years after THA

INTRODUCTION. Cementless Total Hip Replacement surgery is a well established procedure for relative young patients with severe hip disease. Excellent long term clinical results have been published on the performance of the femoral component. With growing clinical experience, our concern focused on excessive wear of the Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) ringloc liner of the Mallory Head cementless Total Hip Prosthesis. After its introduction in our clinic in 1997, this implant is still in use without any modification. We were concerned that due to premature liner wear, the performance of this implant would not be compliant with the international guideline on implant survival (NICE guidelines: at 10 year follow up, 90% of all implants should still be in situ). Our objective was to establish the amount of liner wear in our first 200 MH implants. METHODS. Our first 200 patients consecutively treated with Mallory Head prostheses were followed up to obtain a recent digital image. Follow up was complete for 181 (90.5%) of our 200 patients. Ten had died and nine were not able or willing to come for follow up. The mean duration of follow up was 8.3 years (range: 8–13). The 181 recent digital images were classified as either excessive wear or no excessive wear by two independent orthopedic surgeons. Next, liner wear was measured in the 2D frontal plane using PolyWare Pro/3D Digital Version Rev 5.1 software (Draftware Developers, Conway, USA). A threshold for excessive liner wear was set at 0.2mm/year, according to literature. RESULTS. Using software for measuring PE wear, 46.7% of all patients had excessive UHMWPE wear (> 0.2mm/yr). There was no relation between the amount of wear and BMI, gender, component size or the acetabular inclination angle. Thirteen patients (6.5%) were revised. Nine of these revisions were for excessive liner wear or aseptic loosening (4.5%). For now, our series of cementless Mallory Head prostheses is compliant with the NICE guideline on implant survival. However, with the measured amount of wear we expect to see a significant increase in the number of revisions for liner wear in the near future. DISCUSSION. Our clinical observation of premature UHMWPE wear proved correct. The measured amount of UHMWPE wear is consistent with the few other studies published on this subject. Although we present a retrospective study, limiting the strength of our results, we have included a large group of patients with acceptable loss to follow up. It is unclear if the observed wear will lead to a sharp increase in the number of revisions within the next few years. Possibly, future revisions will be complicated by loss of acetabular bone stock following the pathofysiological reaction to wear particles. Our results can probably be generalised for any district hospital

Aims. The most frequent indication for revision surgery in total hip arthroplasty (THA) is aseptic loosening. Aseptic loosening is associated with polyethylene liner wear, and wear may be reduced by using vitamin E-doped liners. The primary objective of this study was to compare proximal femoral head penetration into the liner between a) two cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) liners (vitamin E-doped (vE-PE)) versus standard XLPE liners, and b) two modular femoral head diameters (32 mm and 36 mm). Methods. Patients scheduled for a THA were randomized to receive a vE-PE or XLPE liner with a 32 mm or 36 mm metal head (four intervention groups in a 2 × 2 factorial design). Head penetration and acetabular component migration were measured using radiostereometric analysis at baseline, three, 12, 24, and 60 months postoperatively. The Harris Hip Score, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Activity Score, EuroQol five-dimension questionnaire (EQ-5D), and 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey questionnaire (SF-36) were assessed at baseline, three, 12, 36, and 60 months. Results. Of 220 screened patients, 127 were included in this study. In all, 116 received the allocated intervention, and 94 had their results analyzed at five years. Head penetration was similar between liner materials and head sizes at five years, vE-PE versus XLPE was -0.084 mm (95% confidence interval (CI) -0.173 to 0.005; p = 0.064), and 32 mm versus 36 mm was -0.020 mm (95% CI -0.110 to 0.071; p = 0.671), respectively. No differences were found in acetabular component migration or in the patient-reported outcome measures. Conclusion. No significant difference in head penetration was found at five years between vE-PE and XLPE liners, nor between 32 mm and 36 mm heads. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2020;102-B(10):1303–1310

Summary. In this study we validate that weight-bearing images are needed for accurate polyethylene liner wear measurement in total knee prostheses by measuring the difference in minimum joint space width between weight-bearing and non-weight-bearing RSA views. Introduction. Recent studies show that Model-based Roentgen Stereophotogrammetric Analysis is superior to the conventional in vivo measurements of polyethylene liner wear in total knee prostheses. Although it is generally postulated that weight-bearing (standing) views are required to detect liner wear, most RSA images are acquired in non-weight-bearing (supine) view for practical reasons. Therefore, it would be of interest to know if supine views would be sufficient for measuring TKA liner wear, defined as a change in minimum joint space width (mJSW). As a difference in mJSW between weight-bearing and non-weight-bearing RSA images has never been validated, the aim of this study is to compare the outcome of in vivo measurements of mJSW in total knee prosthesis when conducted with weight-bearing and non-weight-bearing RSA views. Method. We selected the first 16 patients with a Triathlon total knee prosthesis from a clinical study for which subsequently a weight-bearing eand a non-weight-bearing RSA image pair were acquired at one year follow up. For both images the mJSW and the corresponding contact point locations in terms of mediolateral (ML) and anterioposterior (AP) coordinates were measured. In addition, the ML stability was scored to assess knee laxity. The size of the mJSW difference between non-weight-bearing and weight-bearing views was determined and a regression analysis was conducted to investigate the effect of knee laxity to this difference, while correcting for differences between the contact point locations. Results. On average, the measured mJSW was 0.22 mm larger in the non-weight-bearing views (T-test, p < 0.05). The standard deviation of the difference was 0.22 mm. The regression analysis showed that a difference in the ML position of the contact location was an important covariate (beta = 0.255±0.054, Wald 95% CI). 13 patients had a high ML stability (< 5 deg) and three had a medium stability (5–10 deg). The regression analysis showed that on average patients with medium ML stability had a 0.17 mm larger difference in mJSW than patients with a high ML stability. Conclusion. The study shows that the mJSW is larger in non-weight-bearing views. The differences found are clinically relevant, as wear rates in practice are as small as 0.1 mm per year. Hereby it is validated that weight-bearing RSA images are more capable of detecting the mJSW in total knee prostheses. The size of the difference in mJSW between the views seems to be in relation with the knee laxity

Increased femoral head size reduces the rate of dislocation after total hip arthroplasty (THA). With the introduction of highly crosslinked polyethylene (HXLPE) liners in THA there has been a trend towards using larger size femoral heads in relatively smaller cup sizes, theoretically increasing the risk of liner fracture, wear, or aseptic loosening. Short to medium follow-up studies have not demonstrated a negative effect of using thinner HXLPE liners. However, there is concern that these thinner liners may prematurely fail in the long-term, especially in those with thinner liners. The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term survival and revision rates of HXLPE liners in primary THA, as well as the effect of liner thickness on these outcomes. We hypothesized that there would be no significant differences between the different liner thicknesses. We performed a retrospective database analysis from a single center of all primary total hip replacements using HXLPE liners from 2010 and earlier, including all femoral head sizes. All procedures were performed by fellowship trained arthroplasty surgeons. Patient characteristics, implant details including liner thickness, death, and revisions (all causes) were recorded. Patients were grouped for analysis for each millimeter of PE thickness (e.g. 4.0-4.9mm, 5.0-5.9mm). Kaplan-Meier survival estimates were estimated with all-cause and aseptic revisions as the endpoints. A total of 2354 patients (2584 hips) were included (mean age 64.3 years, min-max 19-96). Mean BMI was 29.0 and 47.6% was female. Mean follow-up was 13.2 years (range 11.0-18.8). Liner thickness varied from 4.9 to 12.7 mm. Seven patients had a liner thickness <5.0mm and 859 had a liner thickness of <6.0mm. Head sizes were 28mm (n=85, 3.3%), 32mm (n=1214, 47.0%), 36mm (n=1176, 45.5%), and 40mm (n=109, 4.2%), and 98.4% were metal heads. There were 101 revisions, and in 78 of these cases the liner was revised. Reason for revision was instability/dislocation (n=34), pseudotumor/aseptic lymphocyte-dominant vasculitis associated lesion (n=18), fracture (n=17), early loosening (n=11), infection (n=7), aseptic loosening (n=4), and other (n=10). When grouped by liner thickness, there were no significant differences between the groups when looking at all-cause revision (p=0.112) or aseptic revision (p=0.116). In our cohort, there were no significant differences in all-cause or aseptic revisions between any of the liner thickness groups at long-term follow-up. Our results indicate that using thinner HXPE liners to maximize femoral head size in THA does not lead to increased complications or liner failures at medium to long term follow-up. As such, orthopedic surgeons can consider the use of larger heads at the cost of liner thickness a safe practice to reduce the risk of dislocation after THA when using HXLPE liners

Introduction. Previous reports have investigated the correlation between time to revision hip arthroplasty (rTHA) and reason for revision, but little is known regarding the impact of timing on outcomes following rTHA. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of time to rTHA on both indication and outcomes of rTHA. Methods. This retrospective observational study reviewed patients who underwent unilateral, aseptic rTHA at an academic orthopedic specialty hospital between January 2016 and April 2019 with at least 1-year of follow-up. Patients were early revisions if they were revised within 2 years of primary THA (pTHA) or late revisions if revised after greater than 2 years. Patient demographics, surgical factors, and post-operative outcomes were compared between the groups. Post-hoc power analysis was performed (1-β=0.991). Results. 188 cases were identified, with 61 hips undergoing early revision and 127 undergoing late revision. There were no differences in demographics and comorbidities between the groups. Type of revision differed between the groups, with early revisions having a greater proportion of femoral revisions (54.1% vs.20.5%) and late revisions having a greater proportion of both component (10.2% vs.6.6%), acetabular (30.7% vs.26.2%), or head/liner (38.6% vs. 13.1%;p< 0.001) revisions. Indication for index revision differed between the groups, with early revisions having a greater proportion for dislocation/instability (21.3% vs. 10.2%) and peri-prosthetic fracture (42.6% vs.9.4%), and late revisions having a greater proportion for loosening/osteolysis (40.9% vs.24.6%), metal-on-metal complications (11.0% vs.0.0%), and liner wear (18.9% vs.0.0%;p< 0.001). Early revisions experienced longer length of stay (LOS; 5.18±4.43 vs.3.43±2.76 days;p=0.005) and more often underwent reoperation (8.2% vs 1.6%;p=0.037). Conclusions. Early aseptic revisions had worse outcomes with longer LOS and higher rates of reoperation. These differences may be attributable to the type and indication for revision. Arthroplasty surgeons should be aware of these differences when counseling patients after THA

Introduction. Cementation of a new liner into an existing well-fixed acetabular component is common during revision total hip arthroplasties (THAs) for many indications, but most commonly for lack of a modern compatible crosslinked polyethylene liner. However, little is known about the long-term durability of this strategy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term implant survivorship, risk of complications, clinical outcomes, and radiographic results of cementing a new highly cross-linked polyethylene (HXLPE) liner into a well-fixed acetabular component. Methods. We retrospectively identified 326 revision THAs where a non-constrained HXLPE liner was cemented into a well-fixed acetabular component. Mean age at revision THA was 63 years, with 50% being female. The most common indications for revision THA were wear and osteolysis (49%), aseptic femoral loosening (35%), and instability (8%). Mean follow-up was 10 years. Results. Polyethylene liner failure occurred in 15 cases (5%). In all cases, the cemented liner dissociated from the acetabular component. Survivorships free from any revision and any reoperation were 79% and 77% at 10 years, respectively. The most common reason for re-revision was dislocation (56% of re-revisions). The cumulative incidence of dislocation was 17% at 10 years. Hips revised at the index revision for instability were significantly more likely to have a subsequent dislocation when compared to those revised for polyethylene liner wear (HR 2.5, p<0.01). Harris hip scores significantly improved from a mean of 65 preoperatively to 88 postoperatively (p < 0.01). Conclusions. Cementation of a non-constrained HXLPE liner into a well-fixed acetabular component during revision THA provided durable fixation at 10 years with only a small number of failures at the cement interface (5%). Instability after this procedure remains a concern, but this is likely multi-factorial in nature. These new long-term data support continued use of this technique, when necessary, during revision THAs. For any tables or figures, please contact the authors directly

CLS Spotorno expansion acetabular cup is in use since 1984 for uncemented Metal-Polyethylene (PE) total hip arthroplasties (THA). Metal-PE articulations are notoriously known to wear and lead to failure of THA. However, catastrophic breakage of expansion acetabular cup is rare. Our 74-year-old male who was diagnosed with bilateral osteonecrosis of femoral head, underwent bilateral THA using CLS Spotorno metal expansion acetabular cups (Protek, AG, Bern) in 1991. He had irregular follow-up since then. In 2005, he presented with right hip pain and inability to walk without support. Anteroposterior (AP) hip radiographs established the diagnosis of catastrophic failure of right THA secondary to severe liner wear and acetabular osteolysis. Patient chose to postpone the revision surgery and opted for wheel chair ambulation. He presented 4 years later, when the right hip pain became unbearable. Anteroposterior as well as lateral hip radiographs showed worsening of cup breakage with superolateral migration of metal femoral head. Pelvic CT scans confirmed severe acetabular osteolysis in DeLee and Charnley's Zone 1, 2 & 3 with secondary loss of bony support to the expansion cup [Fig. 1]. A revision THA was strongly advised. However, patient sought for a pain-free rather than a fully ambulatory right hip and decided against a second THA. We performed resection arthroplasty of right hip with bone cement loading, respecting patient's decision. Intra-operatively, the metal femoral head was lying in the huge osteolytic defect in the roof of acetabulum. The 3 cranial wings of metal expansion shell were broken with corresponding wear of the cranial pole of polyethylene liner [Fig. 2]. We were able to gratify patient's expectations and patient is able to ambulate with the aid of one crutch at latest follow-up. However, it is clearly evident that a timely and regular follow-up would have identified the initial PE wear and secondary osteolysis. Additionally, it can avoid extensive procedures like a revision THA or resection arthroplasty by allowing simple procedures like modular PE liner and the femoral head exchange. A comprehensive review of literature for catastrophic acetabular component breakage revealed 10 such cases, although with different cup designs. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of CLS expansion cup breakage for metal-PE articulation. Majority of these cases have a presence of extensive liner wear and pelvic osteolysis along with a post-operative irregular follow up. This case stresses on importance of regular follow-up even after many years of index THA to identify early PE wear and prevent secondary catastrophic complications

According to the knee simulator test results in 1970s, the total decrease in thickness of UHMWPE tibial tray in combination with ceramic femoral component [F-Comp] was less than one tenth as that of the combination with metal [. 1. ]. These advantages led to development of total knee prosthesis [TKP] with alumina ceramics. In this study, we report the wear surface observation, the clinical wear and the oxidation of the retrieved TKP used clinically for 23 years, comparing with a metal TKP. The retrieved TKP was implanted in 1979, and retrieved on January 9th in 2002. This TKP consisted of an alumina ceramic F-Comp and a UHMWPE tray combined with a alumina ceramic tibial component. Observations of the surface of alumina F-Comp and UHMWPE tray were carried out using SEM. Shape of UHMWPE tray was determined three-dimensionally. Comparing the result with original shape based on the product’s plan, liner wear and volumetric wear were calculated. Oxidation index was determined by Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometry. Alumina F-Comp did not have any scratch on the surface by seeing with naked eye. UHMWPE tray had deformation and scratches obviously. The liner wear rate was 37 micrometer/year and volumetric wear rate was 18.8 mm3/year. The oxidation indexes were 0.6 in the unworn area, 1.2 in the worn area and 0.2 in the inner area. SEM observations of the F-Comp demonstrated no scratch or pit. In contrast, many scratches were clearly observed on the UHMWPE tray. However, higher magnification observations did not demonstrate severe wear, which was shown on the wear analysis of a metallic F-Comp. Oxidation degradation is a problem to solve. However, the low wear rate and mild wear pattern demonstrate that ceramic F-Comp reduced UHMWPE wear

Thirty total hip replacements in twenty-eight patients in which a Zirconia/Polyethylene articulation was utilized were compared to a control group undergoing total hip replacement utilizing Cobalt-Chrome/Polyethylene articulation. These patients were matched for gender, BMI and pre-operative diagnosis. At nine years after implantation there was no difference in the functional outcome between the two groups and no difference in liner wear rate on x-ray (Livermore technique). There was a 27% revision rate in the Zirconia group compared to the 11.5% revision rate in the Cobalt-Chrome group. Bearing surfaces require long- term clinical follow-up to validate in vitro performance. To determine the benefit of Zirconia on polyethylene versus cobalt-chrome on polyethylene in total hip articulation. Zirconia offers no advantage over a cobalt-chrome head in decreasing in vivo polyethylene wear at ten- year follow-up. Newer bearing surfaces require long- term clinical follow-up to validate in vitro laboratory performance. All primary total hip replacements at this institution are entered prospectively in a database and are assessed on an annual basis. All patients in this study were followed for a mean of nine years with a range of six to thirteen years. Thirty cementless total hip arthroplasties were performed in twenty-eight patients utilizing a Zirconia head coupled with a polyethylene acetabular component. Twenty-six hips have been followed for a mean of nine years. These were matched to a control group of twenty-six hips in twenty-six patients utilizing a cobalt-chrome head coupled with an identical polyethylene liner followed for a mean of ten years (range five to fourteen years). There was no functional difference in outcome at nine years between the two groups utilizing the Livermore technique there was no difference in the liner wear rate between the two patient groups. However, seven hips (27%) of the Zirconia group required revision due to loosening and/or extensive osteolysis around the cup and only three hips (11.5%) required revision in the cobalt-chrome group. Our study demonstrates that although changes in component designs and materials may offer theoretical advantages over current components their effect in vivo remains questionable

Objectives. Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is one of the most successful surgical procedures; several bearing technologies have been used, however none of these is optimal. Metal on polycarbonate-urethane (PCU) is a new bearing technology with several potential advantages: PCU is a hydrophilic soft pliable implant quite similar in elasticity to human cartilage, offers biostability, high resistance to hydrolysis, oxidation, and calcification, no biodegradation, low wear rate and high corrosion resistance and can be coupled with large metal heads (Tribofit Hip System, THS). The aim of this prospective study was to report the survivorship and the clinical and radiographic outcomes and the metal ions dosage of a group of patients operated with metal on PCU arthroplasty featuring large metal diameter heads, at 5 years from surgery. Study Design & Methods. 68 consecutive patients treated with the THS were included. The patients have been contacted by phone call and invited to return to our centre for clinical (Oxford Hip Score, OHS, and Harris Hip Score, HHS), radiographic exam and metal ion levels evaluation. All the patients were operated with uncemented stems. Results. The survival rate is 100% and no major complications were seen. The average preoperative OHS was 17 (6–34), at follow-up it was 44 (40–48). The average preoperative HHS was 48 (12–76), at follow-up it was 93 (84–100). On the x rays taken at follow-up, no signs of periprosthetic bone rarefaction and/or osteolysis were seen. No signs of PCU liner wear were visible. At follow up mean Co serum level was 0.52 ng/mL (<0.1–2.5, sd 0.5), mean Cr level was 0.27 ng/mL (0.1–2.2, sd 0.2). In this prospective study at a mean follow up of 5 years, all implants were well functioning, with no radiological signs of loosening and normal serum levels of cobalt and chrome. Although large diameter metal heads and metal sleeve were used no trunnionosis occurred. Conclusions. We believe that these positive outcomes are due the positive biomechanical characteristics of PCU. These results need to be confirmed at a longer follow up and in a more active younger patient population

Objective: Considering the high incidence and misdiag-nostic rate of developmental dysplasia of hip (DDH) in China, some patients suffer from severe pain in the hip at early age, and a total hip arthroplasty would be necessary. To our knowledge, the intermediate-term(equal to or more than five years) results of total hip arthroplasty (THA) in patients with osteoarthritis secondary to developmental dysplasia of the hip has not been studied in China previously. This study evaluated more than five-year clinical and radiographic outcomes associated with total hip arthroplasty (THA) in a consecutive series of patients with osteoarthritis secondary to developmental dysplasia of the hip. Methods: From February 2000 to July 2002, 55 patients (69 hips) underwent THA in our hospital were involved in this study. Clinical outcomes were evaluated according to Harris evaluate score. Components migration, periprosthetic bone changes, the polyethylene wear rate were measured radiologically. Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed to evaluate the survival of the acetabular and femoral component. End point was obvious radiological loosening or revision either or both of the acetabular and femoral component for any reason. Results: Forty-five patients (57 hips) were followed up at least 5 years. The average preoperative Harris hip score was (46.19±18.01) points, which improved to (91.78±3.52) points at final follow-up. There were 48 excellent hips (84.21%), 7 good hips (12.28%), 2 fair hips (3.51%) and no poor hip. There is no significant difference of Harris score between the dysplasia group, the low dislocation group and the high dislocation group (P> 0.05, ANOVA). The mean polyethylene liner wear rate was (0.27±0.14)mm/year. According to the statistical relevant analysis, the wear rate of the polyethylene liner had relationship with the age(r=−0.288, P=0.040), the abnormal abduction angle of the acetabular cup (r=0.317, P=0.023)and the osteolysis rate (r=0.573, P=0.026), while had no significant relationship with the thickness of the polyethylene liner (P=0.326), gender(P=0.097), DDH classification(P=0.958) and the Harris score(P=0.598). There are 5 pelvic osteolysis and 8 proximal femoral osteolysis. Using loosening or revision as the end point for failure, the survival rate of both components was 1.0 (95% confidence interval, 0.98–1.00). Conclusions: In conclusion, improved surgical technique and design in the components provided favorable mid-term results in Chinese patients with osteoarthritis secondary to developmental dysplasia of the hip. Bulk autogenous or allografting is not needed if more than 70% of the acetabular component is covered by host bone. Although the Asia life style includes more squatting and cross-legged, the results of this series in Chinese population are comparable to the satisfactory results of other reported DDH series whose patients are mainly western people. The mid-term results of THA are equivalent in the group of patients with dysplasia, low dislocation, and high dislocation types both in ace-tabular and femoral components. However, the authors continue to be anxious about the high rate of liner wear and osteolysis, which deserve the necessary long-term follow-up

Ceramic on ceramic hip-joint replacements (THR) are known for their excellent wear resistance. Such rigid-rigid bearings generally exhibit a biphasic wear-performance, i.e. a rapid run-in phase decreasing into a steady-state phase. However, due to the ultra-low wear of ceramics, few studies have adequately characterized these wear phases. Since this behavior was not well defined for modern alumina-on-alumina hips, we studied this phenomenon using hip simulator techniques. We also compared all-ceramic THR to UHMWPE wear-rates for exact comparison. Run-in wear was measured at 200,000 cycle intervals to 1 million cycles (1 Mc) followed by 500,000 cycle intervals to 14 Mc. Alumina heads started off with high wear but then demonstrated a curvilinear run-in phase that smoothly transited into steady-state wear. The alumina liners had linear run-in to 0.6 Mc and then abruptly transited into steady-state by 0.8 Mc. During run-in, the liner wear was 40% greater than for the mating heads. Steady-state liner wear varied from 0.002 to 0.007 mm3/Mc. It was also clear that at least 10 million cycles were required to define the steady-state wear for alumina implants due to their ultra-low wear magnitudes. Combined head and cup run-in wear averaged 0.33 mm3/Mc and was completed within 0.8 Mc while steady-state wear was < 0.01 mm3/Mc up to 20 Mc. This was a remarkable 30-fold reduction from run-in. The run-in phase would probably be completed by the first year of follow-up. Compared to UHMWPE cups, the alumina implants demonstrated a 9,000-fold wear-reduction over 20 million cycles in the simulator. This may correspond to 20 years in the typical patient. In addition, the alumina/UHMWPE combination has been favored historically because using CoCr/ UHMWPE bearings resulted in a doubling of the wear-rates in comparative clinical studies. Clearly the all-ceramic THR offers a much superior alternative with its massive reduction in wear-debris volume

INTRODUCTION. Since the early 2000s, highly cross-linked (HXL) UHMWPE's have become a popular option with multiple experimental and clinical studies showing that gamma or electron radiation doses between 50–100kGY reduce wear and potentially extend the bearing life of UHMWPE. However, the increased wear resistance came at a compromise to mechanical properties due to the cross-linking process. Vitamin E has been added to some HXL UHMWPE materials to offer a solution to the compromise by increasing oxidation resistance and maintaining sufficient fatigue strength. However, limited data is available on the effect of the fabrication process, especially the method of irradiation, on the properties of the Vitamin E blended HXL UHMWPE. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of adding the antioxidant vitamin E to highly crosslinked UHMWPE on wear rates. METHODS. Wear testing was performed on six highly crosslinked UHMWPE acetabular liners containing vitamin E (0.1% wt. alpha tocopherol) fabricated using the Cold Irradiation Mechanically Annealed (CIMA) process, initially cross-linked with approximately 100 kGy gamma irradiation, and terminally gamma sterilized. The liners were paired with three 40mm CoCr femoral heads and 40mm three ceramic femoral heads. Testing was completed per ASTM F1714 and ISO 14242 on an orbital hip joint wear simulator (Shore Western, California) and lubricated with 90% bovine calf serum, 20mM EDTA, 0.2% wt. NaN. 3. and DI water. A 1.1Hz Paul-type loading waveform with a peak of 2kN was used for a total of 5E6 wear cycles. Three loaded soak controls were used in parallel to adjust for fluid absorption. Samples were weighed every 5E5 wear cycles. RESULTS. The wear rates for the HXL blended vitamin-E liners were calculated using the slope of the linear regression over the steady state and resulted in a wear rate of 0.49mg/Mc. This is a decrease of approximately 95% compared to the 9.54 mg/Mc 28mm ID conventional UHMWPE wear rates as well as a notable difference for the other HXL UHMWPE liner wear rates discussed in the review. DISCUSSION. HXL blended vitamin-E 40mm liners demonstrated an approximate 95% reduction in wear rates compared to a 28mm ID conventional UHMWPE. The reduced wear rate confirmed the design expectation that a higher irradiation dose in the fabrication process resulted in an increased amount of polymer crosslinking. Additionally, the wear rate of the HXL blended vitamin-E liners studied was well below 20mg/Mc, which was shown by Dowd et al. to be the threshold of osteolysis in THA. SIGNIFICANCE. The HXL vitamin E blended UHMWPE liner tested in this study demonstrated reduced wear rates by approximately 95% compared to conventional polyethylene. Osteolysis-causing wear debris is reduced while maintaining other mechanical properties. This liner material and manufacturing process is a promising alternative to conventional polyethylene, but long-term clinical results are warranted