Controlled Size and Shape UHMWPE Wear Particle Generation Using a Silicon Micro-Fabricated Surface Texturing Technique

Published

April 1, 2001

Author(s)

H. W. Fang, J V. Sengers, Stephen M. Hsu

Abstract

Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) wear particles have been linked to biochemical reactions that eventually lead to loosening of prosthesis. Previous study has demonstrated the feasibility of generating different size and shape of UHMWPE wear particles through surface texturing. A murine air pouch model was used to test two populations of wear particles with distinct shapes of approximately the same size (elongated and spherical particles) and the results suggested that the elongated particles were more bioactive in inducing cellular response. However, the surface texturing was achieved by controlled abrasion with a sand paper and the two wear particle populations overlapped somewhat. A much more narrowly distributed particle size and shape is in order to clearly establish the cause and effect of particle size and shape to bioactivity. This study explores the use of silicon microfabrication technique to design the surface texture so that only particles of certain size and shape will be produced by the rubbing (wear) action. With tightly controlled surface feature sizes. It will be possible to establish a quantitative relationship between the surface feature sizes and the wear particle sizes and shape in the future.

Citation

Society for Biomaterials

Pub Type

Journals

Keywords

biochemical reactions, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene

Citation

Fang, H. , Sengers, J. and Hsu, S. (2001), Controlled Size and Shape UHMWPE Wear Particle Generation Using a Silicon Micro-Fabricated Surface Texturing Technique, Society for Biomaterials (Accessed October 22, 2025)