New research published in the Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery found cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) used in total hip arthroplasty resulted in lower wear rate and a reduction in revisions.
The researchers observed data from a national registry on patients who underwent THA or osteoarthritis in Australia from 1999 through December 31, 2016. Outcomes of THAs performed with non-cross-linked polyethylene (CPE) were compared to those performed with XLPE. The effects of age, sex, femoral head size, the method of acetabular and femoral component fixation and the reasons and types of revision were also considered.
CPE was used in 41,171 procedures and XLPE was used in 199,131 procedures.
Here are the key study takeaways:
1. XLPE was associated with a lower rate of revision than CPE at six months.
2. After 16 years, 11.1 percent of those in the CPE group experienced revisions, while 6.2 percent in the XLPE group experienced revisions.
3. "The use of XLPE has resulted in a significant reduction in the rate of revision at 16 years following THA for osteoarthritis. This evidence suggests that the longevity of THA is likely to be improved, which may enable younger patients to undergo surgery, confident of a reduced need for revision in the long term," the authors concluded.
Click here to read the full study.