Biomaterials for artificial knee joint replacement: a review

Abstract

Human knee works under lubrication conditions that are characterised as boundary or mixed lubrication. In these situations, the joint suffers from starved lubrication provided by the synovial fluid. Over an extended period of time, this starved lubrication causes excessive wear and leads to osteoarthritis. Biomedical implants are gaining increasing attention nowadays to improve the working lifespan of artificial implants like hip and knee joints. This stems from the fact that friction and wear are the key factors affecting the life of artificial joints. In this review, we discuss the processes affecting the normal functioning of the joint. In this model, we also discuss the materials used for the orthopaedic industry and the problems which lead to the failure of the same. The possibilities of improving the life span of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) are also discussed as UHMWPE is the gold in the orthopaedic industry.