Total Knee Replacement is the most successful elective operation available today with failure rates well below 5% after 10 years. However, 25% of patients who receive a conventional metal-on-polyethylene Total Knee Replacement report problems during the first year after their operation. Further, rising demand for improved performance coming from younger more active patients presents a major challenge. A novel all polymer knee replacement, comprising PEEK-OPTIMA-on-polyethylene, has been developed to address these challenges and is set to revolutionise the industry by moving attention from simply implant survival to patient satisfaction. The comparative tribological performance has been investigated in vitro through measurements of polyethylene wear volumes. However, in vivo a major cause of long-term failure of knee replacements has been wear debris-induced osteolysis. Before using this new material combination in patients, it is necessary to develop new methods to then investigate, understand, and predict the wear, wear debris, and biological activity; in order to provide an indicator of osteolytic potential.
This research will be performed in collaboration with Invibio Ltd, who are a proven development partner and leader of biomaterials solutions. The student will benefit from this collaboration from the start, with an industry co-supervisor, and being a part of an international research team. They will be embedded in a vibrant multi-disciplinary research community, working across Faculties (Engineering and Biological Sciences), using capability and infrastructure that has been built over the past 25 years, including a state of the art wear simulation facility, capabilities for wear debris isolation and extensive cell culture facilities. This research will deliver the fundamental understanding and biological implications of new polymer materials being used in this unique tribological configuration. Ultimately it will deliver the innovation needed to treat disease that will deliver better quality of life, ensure higher standards of affordable healthcare, and drive economic growth by bringing new orthopaedic products to market that help tackle national and global health challenges.
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