Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA.
J Arthroplasty. 2011 Aug;26(5):796-801. doi: 10.1016/j.arth.2010.07.016. Epub 2010 Sep 18.
Nine cross-linked highly cross-linked ultrahigh-molecular weight polyethylene acetabular liners were retrieved at revision surgery. Eight of the liners were fully intact and functional at retrieval. Six cases contained shallow initiated cracks at the root of rim notches; 1 crack had propagated several millimeters. Optical and electron microscopic inspection of the crack surfaces revealed clam shell markings, which are characteristic of fatigue crack initiation. Crack initiation at notches has been identified in reports of catastrophic cross-linked liner failures, with crack initiation sites exhibiting similar morphology and clam shell markings. Thus, we believe that the shallow cracks identified in this case series are precursors to catastrophic rim fracture. The results of this study recommend further investigations to clarify the etiology and prevalence of crack initiation in cross-linked acetabular liners.
在翻修手术中取出了 9 个交联的高度交联超高分子量聚乙烯髋臼衬垫。在取出时,其中 8 个衬垫完整且功能正常。6 个衬垫的边缘凹痕根部有浅的起始裂纹;1 条裂纹已扩展了几毫米。对裂纹表面的光学和电子显微镜检查显示出贝壳状标记,这是疲劳裂纹起始的特征。在交联衬垫灾难性失效的报告中已经确定了在凹痕处的裂纹起始,并且裂纹起始部位具有相似的形态和贝壳状标记。因此,我们认为在该病例系列中发现的浅裂纹是灾难性边缘断裂的前兆。本研究的结果建议进一步研究以阐明交联髋臼衬垫中裂纹起始的病因和流行情况。