The Influence of Sliding Velocity on Wear of Total Knee Arthroplasties

Polyethylene wear remains a major cause of aseptic loosening and subsequent revision of total knee arthroplasties (TKA). During implant development and evaluation, simulator wear tests provide valuable information on material and design performance of TKA but have not yet replicated the wear patterns seen in vivo. Recent studies indicate that the combination of contact forces, sliding velocity, and distance, impacts the wear outcome [1, 2]. However, the detailed role of sliding velocity between condyle and tibial plateau, in combination with axial loading, remained unresolved. We hypothesize that implant wear can be strongly correlated with the so-called FV-factor, the product of applied axial force and sliding velocity of the condyle on its tibial counterpart. The aim of this study was to look at wear pattern formation and overall volumetric material loss versus varying FV-factors.