DEVELOPMENT OF NEW TECHNIQUE FOR ACCURATE WEAR ANALYSIS OF EXPLANTED TOTAL HIP REPLACEMENTS

Wear is a fundamental problem in relation to the life-time of the hip joint implants, especially for the components of the ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE). Therefore, the better understanding of the properties and capabilities of UHMWPE related to wear is crucial for the improvement of the implants' behavior. The purpose of this study is to present a new methodology for calculating volumetric wear of retrieved hip prostheses using a combination of novel co-ordinate measuring machine data and Matlab GUI program (Mathworks, Inc.). Method utilizes the unworn portion of the explanted acetabular cup to create or reconstruct the original unworn surface. From these unworn surfaces, it is possible to directly calculate volumetric wear and to graphically map the wear scar, i.e. the penetration of the femoral head into the acetabular cup