Patent ID: 7785508

Claim:
A method for producing a medical implant or medical implant part comprising a body and a surface layer, the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a compression mold for the medical implant or medical implant part having an internal volume, (b) providing a matrix of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene, wherein the ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene has a weight average molecular weight of about 400,000 atomic mass units or more, (c) dispersing by dry blending at least one hydrophilic polymer in the matrix of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene to produce a mixture comprising at least one hydrophilic polymer and ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene, (d) filling at least a portion of the internal volume of the compression mold with the mixture obtained in step (c), (e) compressing the mixture contained within the compression mold for a time and under conditions sufficient to form a medical implant or medical implant part therefrom, and (f) removing the medical implant or medical implant part from the compression mold, wherein the at least one hydrophilic polymer is selected from the group consisting of poly(ethylene oxide) and copolymers thereof, wherein the hydrophilic polymer has a melt index of about 0.5 g/10 min or less, when measured according to ASTM Standard D1238-88.