Abstract
From a literature survey, it was evident that a wide variety of kinematic conditions occur at the femoral-tibial bearing surfaces, including various degrees of rolling and sliding. A test machine was constructed to reproduce these conditions, applied to spherical-ended metal 'femoral' components acting on a flat polyethylene 'tibial' plateau. The load was cyclic at 2.2 kN for 10 million cycles with distilled water lubricant. For cyclic load only, a shiny depression was formed. With oscillating and sliding superimposed, there was severe surface and subsurface cracking resulting in high wear. When rolling motion was applied, a shiny wear track was formed with minimal cracking and wear. Such surface phenomena were observed in retrieved knee specimens, probably reflecting the kinematics associated with the knee. Low-conformity components inserted with high ligamentous laxity are susceptible to anteroposterior sliding and hence high wear. More-conforming components are less susceptible to wear because they limit sliding as well as reduce contact stresses.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 253-60 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research |
Issue number | 273 |
Publication status | Published - Dec 1991 |
Keywords
- Corrosion
- Humans
- Knee Joint
- Knee Prosthesis
- Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
- Movement
- Prosthesis Design
- Prosthesis Failure
- Stress, Mechanical
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
- Review