FABRICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF DIPALMITOYLPHOSPHATIDYLCHOLINE-ATTRACTING ELASTOMERIC MATERIAL FOR JOINT REPLACEMENTS

Wear debris associated with the polyethylene components of total joint replacements has been shown to induce bone resorption which contribut es to implant loosening. In an effort to promote lubrication and reduc e wear in artificial hip joints, the use of the cushion bearing concep t has been proposed previously; however, an elastomeric material teste d as a cushion bearing has been shown to have poor tribological proper ties during initiation of motion from rest. The goal of this project w as to fabricate and characterize an elastomer that has the ability to attract to its surface naturally occurring boundary lubricants from an aqueous solution. The test elastomer and appropriate controls were ch aracterized using fluorescence, electron spin resonance and X-ray phot oelectron spectroscopy. The test elastomer was found to have an enhanc ed ability to attract dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine, a known physiolo gical boundary lubricant. A cushion bearing that also encourages bound ary lubrication represents a potential improvement over currently exis ting orthopaedic implant-bearing materials.