Is there clinical data to support current melt-annealed highly crosslinked polyethylenes?
Yes. A survey of the clinical performance of first generation crosslinked polyethylene in the December 2007 JBJS summarized 12 clinical reports. The authors concluded that “the percent reductions in the wear rate…have been comparable with what was predicted from preclinical hip-simulator testing of the highly cross-linked polyethylenes”.
