Resumo

RODRIGUEZ CANIZO, Ricardo Gustavo et al. Experimental wear analysis of UHMWPE and stainless 316l used in the manufacturing of coxofemoral prosthesis. Rev. colomb. biotecnol [online]. 2010, vol.12, n.2, pp.67-85. ISSN 0123-3475.

The most common cause of failure in coxofemoral prostheses is the loosening between the components of the system, namely the acetabular cup and the femoral head. In this work a tribologic analysis of wear suffered in the components is presented, due to when the surfaces in contact are worn, the mechanical function of the system is compromised as the wearing implies a change in the geometry of the components, thus in their dimensions, resulting on a looseness between the cup and the head. The materials considered in this study are Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) for the cup and 316L Stainless Steel for the femoral head, which represent the surgeons choice for elderly patients. The annual wearing rate between these components was experimentally determined, as well as the amount of debris produced during contact. Firstly, the loading conditions were determined analytically considering those acting on the femoral head taking into consideration the wearing area during human walk. Secondly, the experimental analysis consisted in wearing tests using a tribology pin-on-disk machine, specifically built for this study. The tests to determine the volumetric loss of the components were performed under three different operational conditions: dry, lubricated with bovine serum and lubricated with destilated water. The experimental set up consisted on UHMWPE pins and 316L Stainless steel discs simulating the equivalent wear of ten years of usage of the prostheses. Lastly, the obtained results proved that using the bovine serum as lubricant the wear and debris of the components was significantly reduced when compared with other cases, being the dry scenario where more damage was produced. It is important to point out that the bovine serum was chosen to simulate the synovial fluid in which the system is embedded.

Palavras-chave : Test Pin-on-Disk; acetabular cup; femoral head; bovine serum; anual wearing.

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