The Otto Aufranc Award. Highly cross-linked polyethylene in total hip arthroplasty: randomized evaluation of penetration rate in cemented and uncemented sockets using radiostereometric analysis.

The annual wear rate in polyethylene articulations should be 0.1 mm or less to avoid future osteolysis. Highly cross-linked polyethylene shows an 80 to 90% wear reduction in hip simulator testing, but the clinical documentation of this new polyethylene is still inadequate. We evaluated the highly cross-linked polyethylene in two prospective randomized clinical studies. Thirty-two patients (12 men, 20 women; 64 hips) with a median age of 48 years (range, 29-70 years) with bilateral primary or secondary arthrosis of the hip had hybrid total hip arthroplasty with liners made of highly cross-linked polyethylene on one side and conventional polyethylene on the other. Twenty-seven patients in this study have passed 2 years followup. A further group, comprised of 60 patients (61 hips) with a median age of 55 years (range, 35-70 years), was randomized to receive either highly cross-linked polyethylene or conventional cemented all-polyethylene of the same design. Forty-nine of these 60 patients have been observed for 3 years. In both studies all patients received Spectron stems with 28-mm Co-Cr heads. Radiostereometric examinations with the patient supine or standing were done at regular intervals. Wear was measured in the supine position from the first postoperative week, whereas standing examinations were initiated 3 months after the operation. The penetration rate almost was identical in the study and control groups at 6 months after the operation. Thereafter, the penetration rate leveled out in the two groups with highly cross-linked polyethylene. At 2 years the highly cross-linked polyethylene liner showed 62% lower proximal penetration and 31% lower total (three-dimensional) penetration when the patients were examined in supine position. The highly crosslinked all-polyethylene cemented cups showed lower proximal penetration in both positions. The better wear performance of highly cross-linked polyethylene could increase the implant longevity. Longer followup is needed to evaluate if this new material is associated with less occurrence of osteolysis.