All-polyethylene Component Research Articles

Stress analyses of glenoid components in total shoulder arthroplasty

Finite element analysis was used to characterize the local stresses at the bone-implant interface of 2 different types of glenoid components presently used in unconstrained total shoulder arthroplasty. A series of 2-dimensional finite element meshes was developed to model the glenoid in 2 mutually perpendicular planes with and without implanted components. One of the implants modeled was a cemented all-polyethylene component, and the second was an uncemented metal-backed component. A variety of parameters were studied including the resultant loading direction (concentric versus eccentric), keel geometry, subchondral bone integrity, and cement mantle size. Results of the analyses show that the cemented all-polyethylene design demonstrated an overall stress pattern that was closer to that of the intact glenoid. When the effects of concentric and eccentric loading conditions were compared, the overall stress magnitudes in the subchondral bone were found to be much lower with the uncemented metal-backed component than with its cemented all-polyethylene counterpart. This finding suggests that some degree of stress shielding may be associated with the metal-backed component. In addition, under both the concentric and eccentric loading conditions, extremely high stress regions were found within the polyethylene near the polyethylene-metal interface of the uncemented metal-backed component.

Total knee arthroplasty with the PFC system. Results at a minimum of ten years and survivorship analysis.

A consecutive series of 235 total knee arthroplasties using the PFC system was followed prospectively for at least ten years in 186 patients. The operation was for osteoarthritis in 150 knees, for rheumatoid arthritis in 83, and for Paget's disease and femoral osteonecrosis in one knee each. At the latest review 56 patients had died, five were too ill to assess and three could not be traced. The PFC knee replacement utilised was a non-conforming posterior-cruciate-retaining prosthesis with a polyethylene insert which is flat in the sagittal plane. The patella was resurfaced using a metal-backed component in 170 cases, but later in the series we used an all-polyethylene component in 22 knees; 43 patellae were not resurfaced. The survival without need for reoperation for any reason was 90% at ten years. Nineteen revisions were component-related due to failure of nine metal-backed patellae, nine polyethylene inserts, and one unresurfaced patella; two reoperations were for synovectomy (one for recurrent haemarthrosis and one for recurrent rheumatoid synovitis) and three were for metastatic joint infection. There were no revisions for aseptic loosening of femoral or tibial components, or the all-polyethylene patellar replacement. The PFC system provides good and predictable results in tricompartmental arthritis of the knee. Loosening appeared to be negligible, but there were wear-related problems in 8%. The change from a metal-backed patella and an increase in the contact area of the tibial insert should provide further improvement by minimising wear.

Total knee arthroplasty with the PFC system

A consecutive series of 235 total knee arthroplasties using the PFC system was followed prospectively for at least ten years in 186 patients. The operation was for osteoarthritis in 150 knees, for rheumatoid arthritis in 83, and for Paget’s disease and femoral osteonecrosis in one knee each. At the latest review 56 patients had died, fi ve were too ill to assess and three could not be traced. The PFC knee replacement utilised was a nonconforming posterior-cruciate-retaining prosthesis with a polyethylene insert which is fl at in the sagittal plane. The patella was resurfaced using a metal-backed component in 170 cases, but later in the series we used an all-polyethylene component in 22 knees; 43 patellae were not resurfaced. The survival without need for reoperation for any reason was 90% at ten years. Nineteen revisions were component-related due to failure of nine metal-backed patellae, nine polyethylene inserts, and one unresurfaced patella; two reoperations were for synovectomy (one for recurrent haemarthrosis and one for recurrent rheumatoid synovitis) and three were for metastatic joint infection. There were no revisions for aseptic loosening of femoral or tibial components, or the all-polyethylene patellar replacement. The PFC system provides good and predictable results in tricompartmental arthritis of the knee. Loosening appeared to be negligible, but there were wear-related problems in 8%. The change from a metal-backed patella and an increase in the contact area of the tibial insert should provide further improvement by minimising wear.

Wear of Polyethylene Acetabular Components in Total Hip Arthroplasty. An Analysis of One Hundred and Twenty-eight Components Retrieved at Autopsy or Revision Operations*

We evaluated the rates of volumetric wear and the patterns of wear of 128 acetabular components retrieved during an autopsy or a revision operation between one and twenty-one years after total hip arthroplasty. Twenty-two all-polyethylene components were retrieved at autopsy from hips that had been functioning well at the time of death (Group A). The remaining 106 components--eighty-four all-polyethylene components (Group B) and twenty-two metal-backed components (Group C)--were retrieved during revision operations. All 128 components had been inserted with cement. The mean rate of volumetric wear, determined directly with a fluid-displacement method, was thirty-five cubic millimeters per year (range, eight to 116 cubic millimeters per year) for Group A, sixty-two cubic millimeters per year (range, eight to 256 cubic millimeters per year) for Group B, and ninety-four cubic millimeters per year (range, twelve to 284 cubic millimeters per year) for Group C. Multivariate regression analysis showed a significant relationship (p < 0.05) between the size of the femoral head and the calculated mean annual rate of volumetric wear. The rate of volumetric wear was highest in association with thirty-two-millimeter femoral heads and lowest in association with twenty-two-millimeter heads; according to linear regression analysis, this represented a 7.5 per cent increase (Group A) or a 10 per cent increase (Group B) in the rate of wear for every one-millimeter increase in the size of the head. Linear regression analysis also showed a significant relationship between the duration that the implant had been in situ and the rate of wear (p < 0.05), with the rate being highest initially after the operation and decreasing with an increasing duration in situ. With the numbers available, the patient's age and gender and the side of the arthroplasty did not have a significant relationship to the annual rate of volumetric wear. Increased thickness of the polyethylene was related to a decreased rate of wear (p < 0.05) in the group of metal-backed components, which had a 25 per cent increase in the rate of wear for every one-millimeter decrease in thickness, but not in the other groups. The estimated median annual rates of wear, after adjustment of confounding variables to a hypothetical constant set of median values for the parameters (duration in situ, 132 months; diameter of the femoral head, twenty-six millimeters; and thickness of the polyethylene, eight millimeters), were significantly different among the three groups of components (p < 0.05). Histological evaluation of the worn surfaces showed the predominant mechanisms of wear to be abrasion and adhesion rather than fatigue-cracking or delamination. The highly worn areas were polished to a glassy finish on gross examination, but scanning electron microscopy showed numerous multidirectional scratches along with fine, drawn-out fibrils with a diameter of one micrometer or less oriented parallel to each other. These fibrils are the most likely source of submicrometer wear particles. Thus, wear appeared to occur mostly at the surface of the components and to be due to large-strain plastic deformation and orientation of the surface layers into fibrils that subsequently ruptured during multidirectional motion.

Survivorship analysis of cemented total hip arthroplasty acetabular components implanted with second-generation techniques

The clinical and radiographic results of primary cemented total hip arthroplasty performed by a single surgeon, with particular emphasis on the performance of acetabular components implanted with so-called second-generation cement techniques, were studied. Seventy hips with 48 metal-backed and 22 polyethylene acetabular components were followed for a mean of 9 years (range, 5–11.5 years). The clinical results were evaluated using a recognized hip score. The fixation status of the cemented acetabular component was evaluated using two methods of measuring radiolucent lines at 5 years and at the last evaluation. Acetabular component loosening was defined as a circumferential radiolucent line, component migration, or revision for loosening. This study was unable to confirm the findings of others that demonstrated higher failure rates with cemented metal-backed components when compared with all-polyethylene components. The survival of cemented acetabular components with 28-mm head femoral prostheses was worse than the survival of cemented acetabular components with 22-mm femoral heads in other published reports, despite advances in cement techniques. Because of the high rate of loosening of cemented 28-mm-inner-diameter acetabular components at 5 and 10 years, the authors no longer use these cemented components for acetabular reconstruction.

PATELLAR RESURFACING VERSUS RETENTION IN TOTAL KNEE ARTHROPLASTY

We studied 40 patients in whom the patella was not severely deformed and who were undergoing primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) for osteoarthritis by one surgeon using one type of prosthesis. They were randomly allocated either to have the patella retained or resurfaced with a cemented, all-polyethylene component regardless of the state of the patellar articular cartilage. Apart from removal of osteophytes, no surgery was undertaken on the retained patellae. All 38 surviving patients were evaluated at three years using the HSS knee score and a new, specifically designed Patellar score (maximum score of 30). No TKA was revised, but two patients in the resurfacing group had a further unrelated procedure. The mean HSS and Patellar scores at follow-up were 89 and 28 in the patellar retention group and 83 and 26 in the patellar resurfacing group. Statistically significant lower scores for both were recorded in women and in heavier patients. Stair-climbing ability was significantly better in the retention group. Although there were no complications related to patellar resurfacing, in the medium term we did not find any significant benefit from resurfacing the patella during TKA for osteoarthritis if it was not severely deformed.

Total knee arthroplasty in elderly patients: Comparison of tibial component designs

The authors examined 98 total knee arthroplasties in 73 patients who were 80 years of age or older at the time of surgery (average, 82 years; range, 80–90 years). The follow-up period averaged 4.5 years (range, 2–12 years). The patients were divided into two groups based on their tibial component design. There were 38 all-polyethylene tibial components in 28 patients and 60 metal-backed tibial components in 45 patients. There were 61 (62%) excellent, 30 (31%) good, 2 (2%) fair, and 5 (5%) poor results. Three of the five poor results required revision for septic failure. Of the knees with an all-polyethylene tibial component, 20 (53%) were rated as excellent, 15 (39%) as good, and 3 (8%) as poor. One of these knees rated as poor required revision for septic failure. The knees with a metal-backed tibial tray had 41 (68%) rated as excellent, 15 (25%) as good, 2 (3%) as fair, and 2 (3%) as poor. Both of the knees with poor results required revision for septic failure. Stratifying the results by component composition revealed 97% survival for both types of tibial trays. These results were obtained at 12 years for the all-polyethylene components and at 8 years for the metal-backed prosthesis. In conclusion, the authors believe that total knee arthroplasty is a reliable and durable procedure in the treatment of knee arthritis in the elderly. Elderly patients may represent a special case because they are generally less active than younger patients and may place less stress on their prosthesis. This may place them at less risk for mechanical failure and may make an all-polyethylene tibial component a viable option in the thin, elderly patient, who is usually less active.

The influence of metal backing in unicompartmental tibial component fixation. An in vivo roentgen stereophotogrammetric analysis of micromotion.

The fixation of the tibial component in 36 patients with conventionally cemented unicompartmental knee arthroplasties for femorotibial gonarthrosis was studied using roentgen stereophotogrammetric analysis (RSA). Twenty-four tibial components were all-polyethylene while 12 were metal-backed. The follow-up was for 6 years. Significant migration was detected for all cases but two and ranged from 0.3 mm to 5.4 mm. The greater part of the migration occurred during the first 1-2 years, after which two-thirds of the prostheses remained stable. Seven all-polyethylene components were subjected to a stress examination after 1-2 years and displacement, induced by external forces, was found in all seven. A strong correlation was found between the extension of the radiolucent line and the migration. Otherwise, neither demographic, clinical, nor radiographic data correlated with the RSA results. In this study metal backing did not have any influence on prosthetic fixation as measured by RSA.

All-Polyethylene Patellar Components Are Not the Answer

Recent reports of the high incidence of polyethylene failure of metal-backed patellar components have rekindled the interest in cemented, all-polyethylene designs. One hundred four retrieved patellar components of metal-backed and all-polyethylene designs were analyzed for wear. Additionally, patellofemoral contact stress as a function of flexion angle was measured for unused components using pressure-sensitive Fuji film. Significant wear (2+ on a 0-3 scale) was seen in 65% of metal-backed designs and in 78% of all-polyethylene components. Severe wear (3) was seen in 44% of all-polyethylene components and in 39% of metal-backed devices. The incidence of severe wear (3) of congruent designs was statistically significantly lower than that of the noncongruent designs. Contact stress analysis confirmed that dome-type geometries typically resulted in stresses that exceed the yield strength of the polyethylene, whereas the more congruent geometries generated significantly reduced stress levels.

Polyethylene failure of metal—backed patellar components: 111 AGC total knees followedfor 7-22 months

In a series of 111 AGC total knee arthroplasties, eight failures of the polyethylene part of the metal-backed patellar component were seen after a period of 7-22 months. All of these patients experienced a characteristic grating sound as the knee was bent, and skyline radiographs revealed direct metal-on-metal contact. At revision, fracture and separation of the polyethylene part were found together with an extensive, black, thickened synovium and abrasive wear of the naked metal backing of the patellar component. The cemented metal backings were all solidly anchored in the patella. Based on this high failure rate, we have abandoned the metal-backed patellar component in favor of an all-polyethylene component.