HEAT-TRANSFER ANALYSIS OF FRICTIONAL HEAT DISSIPATION DURING ARTICULATION OF FEMORAL IMPLANTS

A description and analysis are presented of the various heat dissipation mechanisms present both in vitro and in vivo during articulation of metal and ceramic hip systems. From these tests and analyses, it is concluded that frictional heating in the reconstructed hip cannot be effectively removed, and that degradative elevated temperature processes can be expected to occur in vivo to both UHMWPE and adjacent tissue under extended periods of excessive patient activity. This is particularly true for metal cobalt alloy femoral heads articulating on UHMWPE versus ceramic heads which generate significantly lower levels of heat.