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Head size may not impact wear rates of highly cross-linked polyethylene liners
Nakahara I. Arch Orthop Trauma Surg. 2011. doi: 10.1007/s00402-011-1360-z
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A highly cross-linked polyethylene liner displays similar results at 8 years when used with either a 26 mm or 32 mm cobalt-chromium head, according to researchers in Japan.
The researchers performed a retrospective cohort study on 90 cementless total hip arthroplasties (THAs) performed with a highly cross-linked polyethylene liner and either 26 mm (45 THAs) or 32 mm (45 THAs) cobalt-chromium heads. The team took annual radiographs of each patient, compared linear and volumetric steady-state wear rates and total head penetration rates.
The researchers discovered no significant differences in total head penetration rates or steady-state wear rates between the groups.
“Steady-state wear rates were negligible,” the authors wrote. “Osteolysis was not observed in any hips in either group.”