Corrosion behaviour of cast and forced implant materials for artificial joints, particularly with respect to compound designs

Abstract

Implants can fulfil their duty in the human body for decades only if the materials used are resistant to pitting corrosion, crevice corrosion, stress corrosion cracking and corrosion fatigue in chloride-containing body fluids. This applies especially to the new generation of compound endoprostheses. Though these combine the advantages of cast moving parts with those of forged anchorage shafts, there may be a possibility of galvanic cell formation. The susceptibility of various implant alloys to these different types of corrosion is determined, with special emphasis on the compound design of joint endoprostheses.