SEDL / STP / STP953-EB / STP25218S

Determining the Cantilever-Bend Fatigue Integrity of a Porous-Coated Tibial Component

Davidson, JA
Director, Materials Research, Richards Medical Co., Memphis, TN

Cameron, HU
Orthopedic surgeon, Orthopaedic and Arthritic Hospital, Toronto, Ontario

Bushelow, M
Research engineer, Howmedica Corp., Rutherford, NJ

Pages: 12    Published: Jan 1987

Download this paper for $25 PDF (260K)          View License Agreement
Abstract

Two currently popular porous-coated tibial plates, made of cobalt-chromiummolybdenum alloy, were tested in cantilever-bend fatigue loading to determine the fatigue integrity of these plates under partially unsupported in vivo conditions. The test method was carefully established based on an in vitro strain gage analysis using an emblamed cadaver tibia. Fatigue test loads were selected, based on results of the cadaver study, to represent knee forces in excess of six times the body weight of a 91-kg (200-lb) person. Results showed both types of tibial plates to be capable of withstanding more than 10 million cycles under these extreme cantilever-bend fatigue load conditions.