Computer-Based Wear Analysis and Clinical Outcome of First-Generation Highly Cross-Linked Polyethylene Liner: Five-year Analysis

First generation highly cross-linked polyethylene (HXLP) has been shown to have better wear rates than standard polyethylene in laboratory settings. However, it has also been shown to be subject to oxidation by free radicals and that released wear particles have different characteristics from standard polyethylene wear particles, thus increasing the inflammatory response. The purpose of this study is to find whether the first generation HXLP has higher wear performance and is associated with better clinical results. Computer-based wear analysis is currently the most accurate method of determining the in vivo wear of the polyethylene liner of a total hip arthroplasty.