Abstract
In spite of the growing interest in the field of orthopedic wear debris, there is no standardized technique to simultaneously isolate and analyze both ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) and metallic debris from periprosthetic tissues. Using a modification of the previously employed base-digestion protocol involving solvent and mechanical treatment, we were able to separate the wear particles from the tissue. Subsequently, using environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) and energy-dispersive spectrometry (EDS), we characterized individual particulate species. Metallic debris, particularly Co, Cr, and Mo, appeared as irregular and amorphous-like structures, whereas UHMWPE and Ti appeared as crystalline-like structures, some as small as 15 nm. The investigation revealed that UHMWPE forms the bulk (~82%), followed by Ti (~8%-9%), Co (~5%-6%), and Cr (~3%-4%), along with many other trace elements, such as Mo, Pb, Fe, Pb, Fe, Si (~1%-2%).
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