Patent ID: 7462318

Claim:
A method for preparing a UHMWPE pre-form suitable for use in medical implants comprising heating a gamma-crosslinked UHMWPE rod characterized by a crystalline melting point and a diameter d 1 to a compression deformable temperature; applying compression force on the crosslinked UHMWPE to reduce the diameter to d 2 , wherein d 2 <d 1 ; cooling the reduced diameter rod of UHMWPE to a solidification temperature while maintaining compression force to keep the diameter at a diameter of d 3 , wherein d 3 <d 1 ; and stress relieving the cooled rod by heating to a temperature at which the rod expands to a diameter d 4 , wherein d 4 >d 3 , and wherein d 4 is approximately equal to d 1 .