In the realm of total joint arthroplasty, the quest for the ultimate, wear-resistant bearing surface is relentless. For total hip arthroplasty (THA), the introduction of highly cross-linked polyethylene (HXLPE) revolutionized the field, dramatically reducing wear rates and osteolysis-driven revisions. Because of this massive success, modern HXLPE variants were swiftly adapted for use in total knee arthroplasty (TKA).
One advanced preparation technique, sequentially irradiated and annealed polyethylene (specifically the X3 design by Stryker), utilizes three rounds of irradiation and annealing. This process is designed to neutralize free radicals without melting the plastic, theoretically preserving its mechanical strength while maximizing oxidation resistance.
