Elke R
Orthopädische Universitätsklinik, Felix Platter-Spital, Burgfelderstrasse 101, CH-4012 Basel.
Orthopade. 2001 May;30(5):258-65. doi: 10.1007/s001320050606.
To improve the longevity of endoprostheses, the main goal is to reduce wear. Polyethylene together with metal or ceramic is currently the most frequently used combination. Their clinical success is well documented in the literature. Many attempts to improve polyethylene in the past have failed. Materials successful in the laboratory have failed in clinical use. The most recent competitors of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) are the highly cross-linked polyethylenes (HCLPE) and the hard-on-hard couplings such as metal-on-metal or ceramic-on-ceramic. Advantages and downsides regarding particle generation and higher standards of precision in positioning the components are discussed.
