SEDL / STP / STP796-EB / STP28939S



Comparison of the Fatigue Strength of Femoral Prosthesis Stems Made of Forged Ti-Al-V and Cobalt-Base Alloys

Semlitsch, MF
Staff members, Sulzer Brothers Limited, Winterthur,

Panic, B
Staff members, Sulzer Brothers Limited, Winterthur,

Weber, H
Staff members, Sulzer Brothers Limited, Winterthur,

Schoen, R
Staff members, Sulzer Brothers Limited, Winterthur,


Pages: 16    Published: Jan 1983


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Abstract

No breakage of femoral prosthesis stems made of hot-forged cobalt-base or titanium-base alloys has been reported since 1972, in spite of their being loosened and severely overstressed. The minimum requirements imposed on fracture-resistant femoral prosthesis stems were established in laboratory tests and studies lasting several years. The results of these time-consuming and costly efforts have been confirmed by the nonoccurrence of fatigue fractures in more than 350 000 original Mueller and Weber hip joint prostheses with stems made of hot-forged, high-strength Co-Ni-Cr-Mo Protasul-10 alloy, one of the future-oriented alloys used for biocompatible and highly stressed long-term implants. Straight-stem hip prostheses made of hot-forged Ti-Al-V alloy in combination with ceramic Biolox ball heads give promising results, as has been demonstrated by extensive laboratory tests. This must be further confirmed, however, in long-term field studies.


Keywords:
Total hip replacement, loosening, fatigue fracture, high-strength implant alloy, Ti-Al-V, Co-Cr-Mo, Co-Ni-Cr-Mo, microstructure, rotating bending fatigue strength, corrosion fatigue strength, minimum requirements, titanium, implant materials

Paper ID: STP28939S
Committee/Subcommittee: B10.01
DOI: 10.1520/STP28939S
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