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The UHMWPE Lexicon is the online reference for ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene used in total joint replacements. The additional goals for this website are to provide an overview of state-of-the-art research in several key polyethylene related problems of clinical significance and to encourage hypothesis driven polyethylene research. [+] Read more about us.
Publications & Reports
Call for Abstracts: 6th International UHMWPE Meeting, Torino Italy, Extended Deadline: June 1, 2013
By popular request, the abstract deadline has been extended to June 1. The University of Torino in collaboration with the Implant Research Center of Drexel University and Exponent is pleased to announce the 6th International UHMWPE Meeting, which will be convened at the Congress Center "Unione Industriale," in Torino Italy, on Thursday and Friday, October 10-11, 2013. The purpose of the meeting is to bring together engineers, scientists, and clinicians from academia and industry and present leading edge research on advancements in medical grade UHMWPE technology and clinical applications. Click here for abstract submission details and instructions.
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Surface Damage, Oxidation, and Properties of Retrieved Remelted HXLPE Knees
The purpose of this study was to investigate the damage mechanisms and oxidative stability of remelted HXLPEs used in TKR. Remelted HXLPE inserts exhibited lower oxidation indices compared to conventional inserts. We were able to detect slight regional differences within the HXLPE cohort, specifically at the bearing surface. Remelted HXLPE was effective at reducing oxidation in comparison to gamma inert sterilised controls.
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ORS 2013 Poster - Are HXLPE Bearings at Risk of Wear from Modular Taper Corrosion?
The purpose of this retrieval study was to characterize fretting and corrosion at head-neck modular interfaces in retrieved conventional and HXLPE THA systems as a function of head size. Researchers also asked whether taper corrosion was associated with increased wear at the PE bearing surface. The results of this retrieval study do not support the hypothesis that 36+ mm ceramic or CoCr femoral heads articulating on HXLPE liners are associated with increased risk of corrosion among HXLPE liners as compared with smaller diameter heads.
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ORS 2013 Poster - Baseline Properties and Wear Resistance of Vitamin E Containing UHMWPE
This research provides the baseline properties for two new vitamin E-containing UHMW-PE resins for use in total joint replacements. The results of this study indicate that GUR 1020-E and 1050-E are feasible for medical applications in terms of biocompatibility. Also, it has been shown that these grades may be viewed as oxidation resistant UHMW-PE grades, equivalent in mechanical properties and wear resistance to the unblended materials GUR 1020 and 1050.
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ORS 2013 Poster - Can Pin-on-Disk Testing Be Used to Assess Wear of Retrieved UHMWPE Liners?
The objective of this study was to assess the suitability of using POD testing to ascertain the long-term wear performance of retrieved liners. Multidirectional POD wear testing in a physiologically relevant lubricant was conducted on a Super-CTPOD with 100 stations (Phoenix Tribology, England). The results support the the utility of using modern, multidirectional pin-on-disk testing with a physiologic lubricant as an novel method for evaluating the in vivo wear properties of retrieved hip liners.
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ORS 2013 Poster - In Vitro Wear Performance of MPC-grafted UHWMPE for THR
The objective of this study was to explore the wear performance of MPC-grafted UHWMPE acetabular liners against cobalt chrome and ceramic femoral counterfaces. The MPC-grafted UHMWPE investigated in this study demonstrated reduced wear under controlled laboratory conditions against both cobalt chrome and ceramic femoral bearing surfaces.
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The 2nd Edition of the UHMWPE Biomaterials Handbook
The 2nd Edition of the UHMWPE Biomaterials Handbook, edited by Steven M. Kurtz, Ph.D., is published by Elsevier Academic Press. The new edition includes 35 chapters and over 15 contributors, expanding upon the history, properties, and clinical performance of biomaterials used for joint replacement. The new edition contains dedicated chapters to remelted and annealed highly crosslinked UHMWPE, Vitamin E stabilization, composite biomaterials, high pressure crystallization, as well as chapters covering advances in characterization, such as hip and knee simulator testing, radiographic wear measurement, biological response of wear debris, and fatigue and fracture behavior. The book can be ordered via the Amazon website or downloaded as an Ebook. A preview of the Ebook is also available.
Conferences Updates
6TH INTERNATIONAL UHMWPE MEETING
The University of Torino in collaboration with the Implant Research Center of Drexel University is pleased to announce the 6th International UHMWPE Meeting, which will be convened at the Congress Center "Unione Industriale," in Torino Italy, on Thursday and Friday, October 10-11, 2013. The UHMWPE meeing in being organized in collaboration between the Univeristy of Torino and Drexel University. The purpose of the 6th UHMWPE meeting in Torino is to bring together engineers, scientists, and clinicians from academia and industry and present leading edge research on advancements in medical grade UHMWPE technology and clinical applications.
Call for Abstracts: Click here for details on abstract submission. Abstracts will be due on May 1, 2013.
Principal Organizers: The meeting is organized by Pierangiola Bracco (President) and Steve Kurtz (Vice President). Prof. Luigi Costa is the President Emeritus of the Scientific Committee for the Conference.
Registration: The registration website is still under construction. Check back soon for more details.
Venue: The meeting will be convened at the "Unione Industriale" located in central Torino, in walking distance of accomodations and the historic town center. Click here for general info about the beautiful and historic city of Torino.
Accomodations: Check back soon for details about a dedicated block of hotel rooms reserved for specifically for the 6th UHMWPE meeting within walking distance of the Unione Industriale.
Social Program: The organizers strongly believe that international collaborations flourish not only in the formal structure of a meeting but more often in the unpredictable encounters of informal social gatherings. To that end, we will be organizing a gala dinner on evening of Thursday, October 10. The cost of the social program will be covered in the conference registration fee.
Plan for CORS in Venice: The UHMWPE meeting in Torino is also being co-organized in collaboration with the Combined Meeting of the Orthopaedic Research Societies (CORS 2013) which will convene immediately after the UHMWPE meeting in nearby Venice, Italy, on Sunday through Wednesday, October 13-16. 2013. Torino and Venice are linked by a convenient and inexpensive intercity train service with multiple departures each day; travel time between the two cities is approximately 4 hours.
Standards Updates
2012 Update to UHMWPE Standards
At the November 2012 ASTM Meeting in Atlanta, GA, the UHMWPE working group convened to discuss revisions to a number of UHMWPE-related standards. The working group is currently considering revisions to four UHMWPE-related standards, including F648 (unfilled UHMWPE homopolymer), F2102 (FTIR analysis of oxidation), F2565 (Guide for Crosslinked UHMWPEs), and a new standard for small punch testing of medical polymers, including UHMWPE, based on F2183. The next ASTM meeting of the UHMWPE working group will be at the JW Marriot in Indianapolis, IN, on Wednesday, May 22, 2013.