Effect of clearance on cartilage tribology in hip hemi-arthroplasty

Abstract

Hemi-arthroplasty of the hip (an artificial femoral head articulating against the natural acetabulum) is used to treat fractured necks of femur; however, there is evidence that articulation causes erosion of the cartilage, resulting in pain for the patient. Parameters that may influence this cartilage erosion include head material and roughness, clearance between the head and acetabulum and activity levels of the patient. This study has assessed the effect of clearance of hemi-arthroplasty articulations on the contact stress, friction and cartilage deformation in an in vitro tribological simulation of the hemi-arthroplasty joint that applied dynamic loads and motion. It has been demonstrated that peak contact stress increased from 5.6 to 10.6 MPa as radial clearance increased from small (<0.6 mm) to extra-large (>1.8 mm). In all samples, friction factor increased with time and was significantly less with extra-large clearances compared to small (<0.6 mm), medium (0.6–1.2 mm) and large (1.2–1.8 mm) clearances. The cartilage deformation observed was significantly greater in acetabulum samples paired to give small or extra-large clearances compared to those with medium or large clearances.

Keywords

Hip hemi-arthroplasty cartilage deformation friction contact area

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Phillips

. Thompson hemiarthroplasty and acetabular erosion. J Bone Joint Surg Am 1989; 71(6): 913–917.

Harris

Rushfeldt

Carlson

. Pressure distribution in the hip and selection of hemi-arthroplasty. In: The Hip proceedings of the third open scientific meeting of the Hip Society. St. Louis, MO: C. V. Mosby, 1975, pp.93–98.

Devas

Hinves

. Prevention of acetabular erosion after hemiarthroplasty for fractured neck of femur. J Bone Joint Surg Br 1983; 65(5): 548–551.

Van der Meulen

MCH

Beaupré

Lane Smith

. Factors influencing changes in articular cartilage following hemiarthroplasty in sheep. J Orthop Res 2002; 20(4): 669–675.

Yamagata

Chao

Ilstrup

. Fixed-head and bipolar hip endoprostheses: a retrospective clinical and roentgenographic study. J Arthroplasty 1987; 2(4): 327–341.

Kofoed

Kofod

. Moore prosthesis in the treatment of fresh femoral neck fractures. A critical review with special attention to secondary acetabular degeneration. Injury 1983; 14(6): 531–540.

Forster

Fisher

. The influence of continuous sliding and subsequent surface wear on the friction of articular cartilage. Proc IMechE, Part H: J Engineering in Medicine 1999; 213(4): 329–345.

McCutchen

. The frictional properties of animal joints. Wear 1962; 5(1): 1–17.

Wright

Dowson

. Lubrication and cartilage. J Anat 1976; 121(Pt 1): 107–118.

10.

Forster

Fisher

. The influence of loading time and lubricant on the friction of articular cartilage. Proc IMechE, Part H: J Engineering in Medicine 1996; 210(2): 109–119.

11.

Katta

Pawaskar

Jin

. Effect of load variation on the friction properties of articular cartilage. Proc IMechE, Part J: J Engineering Tribology 2007; 221(3): 175–181.

12.

Ateshian

. The role of interstitial fluid pressurization in articular cartilage lubrication. J Biomech 2009; 42(9): 1163–1176.

13.

Lizhang

Fisher

Jin

. The effect of contact stress on cartilage friction, deformation and wear. Proc IMechE, Part H: J Engineering in Medicine 2011; 225(5): 461–475.

14.

McCann

Udofia

Graindorge

. Tribological testing of articular cartilage of the medial compartment of the knee using a friction simulator. Tribol Int 2008; 41(11): 1126–1133.

15.

Muller

Degreif

Rudig

. Friction of ceramic and metal and hip hemi-endoprostheses against cadaveric acetabula. Arch Orthop Trauma Surg 2004; 124: 681–687.

16.

Brockett

Williams

Jin

. Friction of total hip replacements with different bearings and loading conditions. J Biomed Mater Res B Appl Biomater 2007; 81B: 508–515.

17.

Bergmann

Siraky

Rohlmann

. A comparison of hip joint forces in sheep, dog and man. J Biomech 1984; 17(12): 907–921.

18.

Taylor

Tsiridis

Ingham

. Comparison of human and animal femoral head chondral properties and geometries. Proc IMechE, Part H: J Engineering in Medicine 2011; 226(1): 55–62.

19.

Afoke

Byers

Hutton

. Contact pressures in the human hip joint. J Bone Joint Surg Br 1987; 69(4): 536–541.

20.

Bay

Hamel

Olson

. Statically equivalent load and support conditions produce different hip joint contact pressures and periacetabular strains. J Biomech 1997; 30(2): 193–196.

21.

Von Eisenhart

Adam

Steinlechner

. Quantitative determination of joint incongruity and pressure distribution during simulated gait and cartilage thickness in the human hip joint. J Orthop Res 1999; 17(4): 532–539.

22.

Mow

Lai

. Recent developments in synovial joint biomechanics. SIAM Rev 1980; 22(3): 275–317.

23.

McCann

Ingham

Jin

. An investigation of the effect of conformity of knee hemiarthroplasty designs on contact stress, friction and degeneration of articular cartilage: a tribological study. J Biomech 2009; 42(9): 1326–1331.