(iii) Wear in highly crosslinked polyethylenes

Abstract

Because of its improved wear-resistance, crosslinked polyethylene is now regarded as a desirable technology for hip articulations. In the present review, we focus specifically on applications of crosslinked polyethylene in the hip. We begin with an overview of the basic science concepts and terminology surrounding crosslinked polyethylene and the two main thermal processing techniques, which involve either annealing or remelting the polymer after irradiative crosslinking. The second part of the review is a critical assessment of the peer-reviewed literature on the subject of femoral head penetration and wear in crosslinked polyethylenes measured in clinical studies.