The Clinical Performance of UHMWPE in the Spine

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the clinical wear performance of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) in spine. UHMWPE is the polymeric bearing material of choice in artificial total disc replacements (TDR). There are currently two designs, namely, SB Charite™ III and PRODISC, of total artificial discs that include an UHMWPE component as a bearing surface for their implant. The SB Charite™ artificial disc is made of three components, two of which are metal endplates that attach to the upper and lower vertebral body endplates by means of anchor teeth, and an UHMWPE sliding core that moves in between these two metal endplates. On the other hand, PRODISC's modular design allows the surgeon to customize it to the patient's anatomy. It comes in two sizes (M and L), with each size having two available angulations of the superior plate component (6 degrees and 11 degrees), and three different heights of the polyethylene inlay (10 mm, 12 mm, and 14 mm). However, the ultimate clinical performance of UHMWPE in the spine in total artificial discs can be comprehensively evaluated only after long-term follow-up of patients is made available. The examination of retrieved implants, when available, will also provide the scientific community with a better understanding of the performance of UHMWPE in vivo in the spine anatomical setting.