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Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery - British Volume, Vol 60-B, Issue 3, 370-374
Copyright © 1978 by British Editorial Society of Bone and Joint Surgery

Articles

The radiation improvement of polyethylene prostheses. A preliminary study

CJ Grobbelaar, TA du Plessis, and F Marais

The radiation crosslinking of high-density polyethylene prostheses was investigated over a wide range of doses in the presence and absence of gaseous crosslinking agents. It was found that in the bulk polymer the crosslinking pattern is completely different from the homogeneous crosslinking that occurs in polymer films. The presence of crosslinking agents causes highly crosslinked polymer to be formed on the surface while the bulk of the polymer is largely unaffected--which is explained in terms of diffusion phenomena. This surface crosslinking has a profound effect on the mechanical properties of the prostheses and restricts cold flow and deformation of the polymer without sacrificing the excellent abrasion-resistance properties of the polyethylene when subjected to high pressures. Based on this research a number of high-density polyethylene knee prostheses have been radiation-crosslinked and the results in vitro appear to be very promising.


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P. Triclot, G. Grosjean, F. El Masri, J. P. Courpied, and M. Hamadouche
A comparison of the penetration rate of two polyethylene acetabular liners of different levels of cross-linking: A PROSPECTIVE RANDOMISED TRIAL
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Hip, Knee, Trauma, Upper limb, Foot & Ankle, Paediatrics, Oncology, Spine, Arthroplasty, General