Polyethylene wear

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Polyethylene wear is one of the complications of hip joint replacements. Wear results when surfaces produce local mechanical damage and unwanted loss of material and the resultant generation of wear particles may result in eccentric position of a prosthetic head within the cup.

Types of wear

conventional wear
- fatigue wear: as a result of repetitive stressing of a bearing material
- interfacial (bearing surface) wear.
  - abrasive wear
  - adhesive wear