Cross-linked polyethylene for total hip arthroplasty markedly reduces revision surgery at 16 years

Abstract

Background: Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is an effective operation for the management of end-stage hip osteoarthritis, but long-term success can be limited by wear of the polyethylene bearing surface. Cross-linking conventional polyethylene has resulted in lower wear rates and a reduction in bone lysis in both laboratory and clinical studies. The aim of this study was to compare the rates of revision between cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) and conventional non-cross-linked polyethylene (CPE) at 16 years after THAs performed for the treatment of osteoarthritis. Methods: We performed an observational study of data, from a national registry, on all patients who underwent THA for osteoarthritis..