The metal-on-metal (MoM) total hip prosthesis is widely used. However, the adverse reactions such as pseudotumor around the total hip prosthesis are observed. This is considered the effect of the corrosion of alloy which includes metal ion release and the wear particle generation. As materials for total hip prostheses, cobalt chromium (Co-Cr) alloy is used because of the wear resistance and corrosion resistance. The passive film on the surface of alloy contributes to corrosion resistance. The passive film is removed easily with friction. Therefore, metal ion is released from bare metal. However, this removal of passive film can be restored because of oxidation reaction with neighboring environment. The modular MoM total hip prosthesis such as acetabular component-femoral head or taper junction which connect femoral head and stem have friction interfaces. The friction amplitudes must be different among these interfaces. However, how sliding amplitude affects on removal of a passive film is unclear. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the sliding amplitude of the reciplocating micromotion on removal and reformation of the passive film of Co-Cr alloy. The behavior of the passive film was observed by measuring the electric potential of the alloy. Co-Cr alloy (ASTM F75) pin specimen and common tablet specimen were immersed in simulated body fluid PBS(−) and abraded with friction testing machine. The electronic potential between the pin and the Ag/AgCl reference electrode (RE-1C, ALS, Tokyo, Japan) were measured using a high impedance electrometer (HE-104E, HOKUTO DENKO, Tokyo, Japan). The friction amplitude was chosen from 0.2–2 mm. The reciprocating cycle was 1 Hz. The load of 10 N applied on the pin by a weight.Introduction
Methods
On the basis of a proposal by Noble, the marrow cavity form can be classified into three categories: normal, champagne-fluted and stovepipe. In the present study, three typical finite element femoral models were created using CT data based on Noble's three categories. The purpose was to identify the relationship of stress distribution of the surrounding areas between femoral bone marrow cavity form and hip stems. The results shed light on whether the distribution of the high-stress area reflects the stem design concept. In order to improve the results of THA, researchers need to consider the instability of a stem design based on the stress distributioin and give feedback on future stem selection. As analyzing object, we selected SL-PLUS and BiCONTACT stems. To develop finite element models, two parts (cortical bone and stem) were constructed using four-node tetrahedral elements. The model consisted of about 60,000 elements. The material characteristics were defined by the combination of mass density, elastic coefficient, and Poisson's ratio. Concerning the analysis system, HP Z800 Workstation was used as hardware and LS-DYNA Ver. 971 as software. The distal end of the femur was constrained in all directions. On the basis of ISO 7206 Part 4,8 that specifies a method of endurance testing for joint prostheses, the stem was tilted 10°, and a 1500 N resultant force in the area around the hip joint was applied to the head at an angle of 25° with the long axis. Automatic contact with a consideration of slip was used.Introduction
Methods
Residual stress remains in bone tissues after press-fit-fixation of a joint prosthesis, recently employed for joint arthroplasty. The response of bone tissues to the residual stress is, however, unknown because it is not physiological. This unnatural stimulus may have adverse effects on bone tissues, including causing thigh pain or bone resorption. In the present study, we designed an experimental method to apply a stationary load from inside an animal femur using a loop spring of titanium alloy with super elasticity. The femoral response was assessed based on the migration of the wire into bone twelve weeks after implantation. As the results, wire migration was noted in 10 of 11 cases. We developed a method using a loop spring made of super elastic titanium alloy, which can maintain sufficient stress in a rat femur for a prolonged period. This titanium alloy, which contains 43.94% titanium and 56.06% nickel, was supplied as a wire (WDL1, Actment Co., Ltd., Kasukabe, Japan). In the present study, an experimental method was designed to apply a stationary load from inside a rat femur by inserting a loop spring made of super elastic wire.Background
Methods
Post cam is useful to realize the intrinsic stability of a posterior-stabilized (PS) knee prosthesis replaced for a case with the severe degeneration. Some retrieval studies reveal the ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) deformation or severe failure of the tibial post of PS knee. Strength of the tibial post of available design is obviously insufficient to prevent the severe deformation. The large size post might, however, shorten the range of knee motion. Therefore, minimally required size of the post should be clarified for polyethylene inserts. In the present study, we performed finite element (FE) analysis assumed the mechanical conditions of a tibial post in a PS knee and aimed to design criterion of a post of polyethylene insert of a knee prosthesis. The shape of three commercially available knee prostheses, product A, B, and C was referred as PS knee prosthesis. The contour of the metallic femoral component and the UHMWPE insert were digitized by a computed tomography apparatus. Three dimensional finite elements were generated by modeling software (Simpleware, Ltd. UK) as four-node tetrahedral elements. In FE analysis, we used LS-DYNA ver.971 (Livemore Software Technology Corp. USA) as the software and Endeaver Pro-4500 (EPSON Corp. Japan) as the hardware. These bottoms of the tibial insert were fully constrained. The value of 30MPa was defined as yield stress of UHMWPE. 500N posterior load was applied to each femoral component at 10 degree hyperextension. Then, 1000N anterior load at 120 degree flexion, after tibial insert was located 10 degree internal rotation (Fig. 1). These loads were assumed to realize the two types of tibial post impingement under several kinds of knee motions. The distributed values of von Mises stress and plastic strain on the tibial post were shown as the results of the analysis.Introduction
Method
According to proposal of Noble, the femoral bone marrow cavity form of patients who underwent Total Hip Arthroplasty (THA) can be classified under 3 categories; those are Stovepipe, Normal and Champagne-fluted. We developed typical sodium chloride femoral model was created by 3D prototyping technique. The purpose was to identify the relationship of pressure zone of the surrounding areas between femoral bone marrow cavity form and hip stem. As opponent clarified stem design concept Zweymüller type model was used. According to CT data with the patients who underwent THA, the sodium chloride femoral model was custom-made and selected as the representative model based on Noble's 3 categories. Eight models of each category were used to performed mechanical test.Introduction
Materials and Method
On the basis of a proposal by Noble, the marrow cavity form can be classified into three categories: stovepipe, normal, and champagne-fluted. In the present study, three typical finite element femoral models were created using CT data based on Noble's three categories. The purpose was to identify the relationship of stress distribution of the surrounding areas between femoral bone marrow cavity form and hip stem. The results shed light on whether the distribution of the high-stress area reflects the stem design concept. In order to improve the results of THA, researchers need to consider the instability of a stem design based on the pressure zone and give feedback on future stem selection. To develop finite element models, two parts (cortical bone and stem) were constructed using four-node tetrahedral elements. The model consisted of about 40,000 elements. The material characteristics were defined by the combination of mass density, elastic coefficient, and Poisson's ratio. Concerning the analysis system, HP Z800 Workstation(HP, Japan) was used as hardware and LS-DYNA Ver. 971 (Livermore Software Technology Corporation, USA) as software. The distal end of the femur was constrained in all directions. On the basis of ISO 7206 Part 4,8 that specifies a method of endurance testing for joint prostheses, the stem was tilted 10°, and a 500 N resultant force in the area around the hip joint was applied to the head at an angle of 25° with the long axis. Automatic contact with a consideration of slip was used. Von Mises stress during a 1.0 s period after loading was analyzed, and stress distribution in the stem and its maximum value were calculated.Introduction
Methods
In these three years, many troubles have occurred in the arthroplasty by hip joint prostheses with metal on metal sliding surfaces. Anomalous reaction including a pseudotumor, which is supposed to be caused by the metal ions released from the implant surfaces, is the most serious problem for the patients1). This problem seriously confused us because there is the fact that ion release has not hardly occurred between a head and an acetabulum, where usual wear proceeds. The important clue was the stain that was sometimes found on the surfaces of the taper junction of retrieved prostheses. This stain has been generally estimated the evidence of the fretting corrosion. It has not been clarified why short range sliding enhances the corrosion, yet. In the present study, to elucidate this problem, we observed the behavior of the passive film of implant surfaces under the sliding conditions of fretting, which is presumed on the taper junction. In the present study, electric potential was measured as an indicator to assess the removal of the passive film of cobalt chromium (CoCr) alloy under the fretting conditions. A wear simulator (FPR-2100, RHESCA, Tokyo, Japan) was used for the testing apparatus with reciprocating motion. A Co-28Cr-6Mo alloy pin (Smith & Nepew, London, UK) specimen was 10 mm in diameter and abraded with the common material plate (Fig. 1). A load of 1 N was applied to a pin. The electronic potential between the pin and the Ag/AgCl reference electrode (HX-R5, HOKUTO DENKO, Tokyo, Japan) soaking in the PBS(−) as simulated biological fluid were measured using a high impedance electrometer (HE-104, HOKUTO DENKO, Tokyo, Japan) (Fig. 2). The sliding width was chosen 0.5–10 mm. The reciprocating cycle was chosen 0.5–2 Hz. The changes in the electronic potential of CoCr alloy were recorded during the sliding motion together with under the static conditions before and after the sliding motion.Introduction
Materials and Methods
It is generally accepted that strong hammering is necessary for the press fit fixation of a joint prosthesis. In this regard, large stress must remain within bone tissues for a long period. This residual stress is, however, some different from the feasible mechanical stimuli for bone tissues because that is stationary, continuous and directed from within outward unlike physiological conditions. The response on this residual stress, which may induce the disorder of the fixation of implant, has not been discussed, yet. In the present study, we designed an experimental method to exert a stationary load from inside of a femur of a rat by inserting a loop spring made from a super elastic wire of titanium alloy. Response of the femur was assessed by bone morphology mainly about the migration of the wire into the bone twelve weeks after the implantation. We developed a method using a loop spring made of super elastic wire of titanium alloy, which can maintain sufficient magnitude of stress in a rat femur during the experimental period. The loop spring was fabricated with a wire of 0.4 mm diameter before the quenching process. Eleven Wistar rats of ten weeks old were used for the experiments. The loop spring was inserted the right femur, as shown in Figure 1. The left femur was remained intact. The compressive load was added from within outward of bone marrow when the spring was compressed with the insertion into a bone marrow of a rat femur, as shown in Figure 2. The average contact stress was calculated by dividing the elastic force by the spring and bone contact area. The contact stress was distributed from 62 to 94 MPa, which are sufficiently lower than the yield stress of cortical bone [1]. The assessment of bone morphology around the implanted loop spring was performed by micro-CT imaging after the twelve weeks of cage activity.INTRODUCTION
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Post cam structure, which is the main structure of posterior-stabilized design (PS), is useful to realize the intrinsic stability of a knee prosthesis replaced for a case with the severe degeneration. A large size post might, however, shorten the range of knee motion. On the other hand, retrieval studies sometimes reveal the ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) deformation or severe failure of the tibial post of PS knee. Strength of a tibial post of available design is obviously insufficient to prevent the severe deformation. Therefore, minimally required size of the post should be clarified for polyethylene inserts. In the present study, we performed finite element (FE) analysis assumed the mechanical conditions of a tibial post in a PS knee and aimed to design criterion of a post of polyethylene insert of a knee prosthesis. The shape of one commercially available knee prosthesis was referred as a posterior-stabilized knee prosthesis. The contour of the metallic femoral component was traced and digitized by hand. The contour of the UHMWPE insert was digitized by a micro computed tomography apparatus. Three dimensional finite elements were generated by a modeling software (Simpleware, Ltd. UK) as total 83000 four-noded tetrahedral elements. The bottom of the tibial insert was fully constrained. Load on femoral component was assumed to realize the tibial post impingement under several kinds of knee motions. Posterior load 100 N or 500N at the 10 degree hyperextension, anterior load 500N or 1000N during 120 degree flexion were applied (Fig. 1). The software of FE analysis was LS-DYNA ver.971 (Livemore Software Technology Corp. USA). The hardware was Endeaver Pro-4500 (EPSON Corp. Japan). The distributed values of von Mises stress and plastic strain of the tibial post were shown as the results of the analysis.Introduction
Method
Fracture during total hip arthroplasty occurs partly because the acquisition of fixation at the time of stem implantation depends on the operator's experience and sensation due to the absence of definite criteria. Therefore, an objective evaluation method to determine whether the stem has been appropriately implanted is necessary. We clarified the relationship between the hammering sound frequency during stem implantation and internal stress in a femoral model, and evaluated the possible usefulness of hammering sound frequency analysis for preventing intraoperative fracture. Three types of cementless stem were used. Orthopedists performed stem insertion using a procedure similar to that employed in routine operation. Stress was estimated by finite element analysis using the hammering force calculated from the loading sensor as a loading condition, and frequency analysis of hammering sound data obtained using a microphone was performed (Fig. 1). Finite element analysis showed a decrease in the hammering sound frequency with an increase in the estimated maximum stress (Fig. 2, 3). When a decrease in frequency was observed, adequate hammering had already been performed to achieve press-fit stability. Therefore, there is a possibility that the continuation of hammering induces intraoperative fractures that become a problem. Based on the relationship between stress and frequency, the evaluation of changes in frequency may be useful for preventing the development of intraoperative fractures. When a decrease in frequency is observed, the hammering force should be reduced thereafter. Hammering sound frequency analysis may allow the prediction of bone fractures that can be visually confirmed, and may be a useful objective evaluation method for the prevention of intraoperative bone fracture.
Fluid film lubricating ability of a total hip prosthesis depends on the profile accuracies including surface-roughness or the sphericity of a head or a cup. Therefore, surface polishing is important. It was, however, difficult to polish the central portion of a cup or head using the conventional rotating machine. In the present study, we developed a polishing method combining a pendulum machine and a robotic arm. The effect of the accuracy improvement by this method was evaluated by the friction measurements on some test specimens. Nine balls and a cup of Co-Cr-Mo alloy that were polished by a conventional process using a rotating machine were prepared for the prototype. The average diameter of the balls was 31.9648 mm with the sphericity of 0.0028 μm. The inside diameter of the cup was 31.9850 mm with the sphericity of 0.0044 μm. We combined a robotic arm and a pendulum apparatus to enable the further polishing. The ability of both automatic centering and change in the sliding direction was accomplished by this system. The sliding direction has been changed 180 times every ten degrees. The total distance of polishing was 120 m under vertical load of 100 N in a bath of saline solution containing abrasive grains of silicate of the diameter of 2μm. The surface roughness of the central portion of the cup, which is important area for the fluid film lubrication decreased from A pendulum type friction tester was used for the assessment of the improvement of the lubricating ability by the polishing. The measurement was run over at 10 times under the conditions of the load of 600 N in a bath of saline solution. As the result, the frictional coefficients decreased from 0.1456–0.1720 before polishing to 0.1250–0.1300 after polishing. The polishing effect was, however, observed only at the specimens that radial clearances did not exceed the value of 50 μm. The present results indicated that the surface polishing of the central portion of hip prostheses must improve the lubrication ability and the radial clearance before the finishing process should be chinked as possible.
