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Fluid absorption study in ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) sterilized and unsterilized acetabular
S Affatato1, C Vandelli, B Bordini
1Laboratorio di Tecnologia Medica, Istituti Ortopedici Rizzoli, Bologna, Italy.
Abstract:
The weight gain due to fluid absorption was measured in gamma-sterilized, ethylene oxide (ETO) gas-sterilized, and unsterilized ultra-high molecular weight (UHMW) polyethylene acetabular cups. After about 2 months the total average fluid absorption gain of the polyethylene cups was: 1.76 +/- 0.45 mg (average +/- standard deviation) for the unsterilized polyethylene cups, 2.81 +/- 0.95 mg for the gamma-sterilized polyethylene cups and 1.51 +/- 0.34 for the ETO gas-sterilized polyethylene cups. There was little difference in fluid absorption between the sterilized and unsterilized specimens. In particular, the gamma-sterilized acetabular cups absorbed more than the ETO gas-sterilized and the unsterilized cups. However, the weight gain was higher in serum compared with that in water.