Unfortunately, about 10 percent are expected to fail due to implant loosening caused by wear particles.
Similar numbers apply to knee replacements.
University of Kentucky researchers at the Center for Biomedical Engineering are striving to create new and improved materials for joint replacement surgeries. Unfortunately, about 10 percent are expected to fail due to implant loosening caused by wear particles. Now, however, technology has advanced to the point where doctors can use metals, polymers or ceramics to replace hip and knee joints. We're working on how to reduce the wear to polyethylene in vivo so that these prosthetic joints endure for a patient's lifetime. Use of scanning electron microscopes clearly demonstrates the tiny bits and pieces of polyethylene that rub off the joint surface, and lead to implant loosening and failure.