In vitro wear of ultrahigh-molecular-weight polyethylene and vitamin E blended highly cross-linked polyethylene in linked, semiconstrained total elbow replacement prostheses

摘要

The human elbow joint has 3 articulating interfaces—the humeroulnar, the humeroradial, and the proximal radioulnar—that provide flexion-extension, pronation-supination, and abduction-adduction (varus-valgus) motions of the arm, respectively. The elbow joint can be affected by rheumatoid arthritis, post-traumatic arthritis, ankylosis, instability, humeral fracture, and cartilage wear.10, 11, 15, 31, 33 These may result in severe pain, flail function, and loss of motion, leading to difficulties in performing simple activities of daily living (ADLs), such as brushing the teeth, lifting a child, eating, bathing, or carrying a beverage. Total elbow replacement (TER) is a solution when initial treatments, such as viscosupplementation, débridement with external fixation, and open reduction with internal fixation, become ineffective