Quantification of UHMWPE wear in periprosthetic tissues of hip arthroplasty: Description of a new method based on IR and comparison with radiographic appearance

Abstract

Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) has been used as a bearing material in total joint replacements (TJR) for more than three decades. Although UHMWPE is regarded as the gold standard in this field, microscopic wear particles are released from the polymer causing inflammatory response in the surrounding tissues.

In this study, a new fast method for the quantification of polyethylene wear particles, called IRc, was introduced. The Me method is based on infrared spectroscopy and determines the total volume of UHMWPE wear debris in particular zones around TJR.

Keywords

• UHMWPE
• isolation of wear debris
• quantification of wear particles
• polyethylene wear
• in-vitro
• debris
• particles
• replacement
• osteolysis
• components
• prostheses
• number