Lower rate of repeat surgery when hip implants use cross-linked polyethylene

The verdict is in: hip implants with components made of cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) substantially lower the risk of revision surgery after total hip replacement, reports research in The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery.

The long-term study included data from more than 240,000 people with hip osteoarthritis who had total hip replacement in Australia between 1999 and 2016.

The results provide important “real world” evidence that the reduced wear of XLPE bearings translates to a lower risk of revision surgery.

“The use of XLPE makes total hip arthroplasty – already one of the most effective operations – even better,” says Prof Richard de Steiger, one of the experts involved. “The use of XLPE has resulted in a significant reduction in the rate of revision at 16 years following total hip arthroplasty for osteoarthritis. Wear-related and implant-longevity issues are particularly important in younger patients, who are generally more active and have a longer life span than their older counterparts.

“We believe that the evidence of reduced long-term wear with XLPE is now so strong that, when a polyethylene bearing surface is used in THA, it should be XLPE, particularly in younger patients.”

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