A paper presented by Richard W. McCalden at the Hip Society Meeting in New Orleans on March 15, 2014 details the use of first generation crosslink polyethylene over the last decade. Crosslink polyethylene was introduced in 1999 at the authors’ medical institution. The paper examines 1,484 total hip replacements in which crosslink polyethylene was used on the socket side of a total hip replacement. The average follow-up procedure was at 2.8 years (and 418 or 28% of the cases carried a required minimum 10-year follow-up).
The doctors did not see any cases of liner fracture or significant liner wear that would lead to re-operation. The paper’s findings help to confirm the mid and early long-term results of crosslink polyethylene in hip replacement. This information gives orthopedic surgeons reassurance that either metal or ceramic heads on crosslink polyethylene should produce successfully for 10 years and more after hip replacement surgery.