New Zimmer campaign supports hip replacement technology

Zimmer Holdings Inc. recently announced the launch of its new nationwide Forever Hip campaign, an effort to draw attention to what the company calls the lifetime wear performance of its new Vivacit-E Vitamin E highly-crosslinked polyethylene.

In a press release, Zimmer Holdings officials wrote that the company believes the hip liners made of the highly crosslinked polyethylene (HXPA) are “the first hip replacement technology to demonstrate a lifetime of wear performance based on new material advancements and unprecedented testing.”

According to the press release, Zimmer’s Vivacit-E Vitamin E HXPE liners demonstrated ultra-low long-term wear under typical conditions in ongoing research into the material that simulated more than 34 years of walking activity — about the number of steps a patient will take during their lifetime after hip replacement surgery.

“Hip replacement is being performed on younger patients who are more active than ever. They need solutions capable of providing improved long-term performance in order to reclaim their mobility and get back to doing the things they enjoy most, being forever hip,” Matt Monaghan, Zimmer senior vice president of global hips and reconstructive research, stated in the press release. “Wear-related complications are one of the most jeopardizing factors for long-term implant success. Zimmer continues to drive innovation in this area, to meet and exceed younger and more active patient demands.”

Monaghan stated, “With the advanced wear resistance of Zimmer’s proprietary Vivacit-E bearing surface, surgeons can now provide a once in a lifetime hip replacement technology for their most demanding patients. This industry leading technology can potentially help patients avoid pain and lost time due to re-operation as well as lessen the economic burdens that can strain patients and hospitals.”