basic science

Orthopaedic Implant Biomaterials

intermediate

6 min

28 marks

6 questions

Clinical Scenario

A 62-year-old female is scheduled for total hip arthroplasty for primary osteoarthritis. She asks about the different material options for her hip replacement. Her surgeon needs to discuss bearing surfaces, fixation methods, and material properties. She has good bone quality and is moderately active.

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Clinical image for Orthopaedic Implant Biomaterials

Image source: Open Access medical literature (NIH/PubMed Central) • CC-BY License

Questions

Question 1 (4 marks)

Describe the material properties important for orthopaedic implants. Define stress, strain, and elastic modulus.

Question 2 (5 marks)

Compare the metallic biomaterials used in orthopaedic implants. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each?

Question 3 (6 marks)

Describe the bearing surface options in total hip arthroplasty. Compare metal-on-polyethylene, ceramic-on-ceramic, and ceramic-on-polyethylene.

Question 4 (5 marks)

What is highly cross-linked polyethylene (HXLPE)? How does it differ from conventional polyethylene?

Question 5 (4 marks)

Describe cemented versus uncemented fixation. What are the indications for each?

Question 6 (4 marks)

What are the biological responses to wear particles? Describe the pathophysiology of osteolysis.