Zimmer Gmbh

Ray Gsell

Dirk Pletcher

John Knight

Hallie E Brinkerhuff

Alicia Rufner

Werner Schneider

Toni Rowe

Brian H Thomas

Dean Acker

Norman Stark

Dale Frederick Swarts

Gregory S Meadows

Steven L Krebs

Gregory K Taylor

An antioxidant combined with UHMWPE prior to subjecting the UHMWPE to crosslinking irradiation. In one exemplary embodiment, the antioxidant is tocopherol. After the antioxidant is combined with the UHMWPE, the resulting blend may be formed into slabs, bar stock, and/or incorporated into a substrate, such as a metal, for example. The resulting product may then be subjected to crosslinking irradiation. In one exemplary embodiment, the UHMWPE blend is preheated prior to subjecting the same to crosslinking irradiation. Once irradiated, the UHMWPE blended product may be machined, packaged, and sterilized in accordance with conventional techniques.

Antioxidant stabilized crosslinked ultra high molecular weight polyethylene for medical device applications

Antioxidant stabilized crosslinked ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene for medical device applications

Polymer compositions having one or more antioxidants providing high crosslink density and improved oxidation resistance to the polymer composition and methods for making same. Such polymer compositions can be used to make orthopedic implants.

Crosslinked polymers including one or more antioxidants, methods for making same and methods for selecting antioxidants

The present disclosure is directed to polymer compositions having one or more antioxidants providing high crosslink density and improved oxidation resistance to the polymer composition and methods for making same. Such polymer compositions can be advantageously used to make orthopedic implants. The disclosure also provides methods for selecting antioxidants providing desirable properties to the polymer composition. In one embodiment, a measure of OIT can be used to select the antioxidant and antioxidant blend. In another embodiment, measurements of OIT and OI-rate can be used to select the one or more antioxidants. In an other embodiment, the product of OIT and crosslink density can be calculated to predict wear resistance and oxidation resistance of a polymer composition including one or more antioxidants.

A method of manufacturing a bearing for use in an orthopaedic implant, comprises the steps of: providing a radiation source; positioning a bearing material at a distance away from the radiation source; installing a shield over at least a portion of the bearing material; irradiating the bearing material through the shield using the radiation source; and forming a bearing surface on the bearing material.

Method for crosslinking UHMWPE in an orthopaedic implant

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Winona Lake, IN, United States of America

Ray Gsell