US 2010/0249945 A1 · SURFACE MODIFICATION OF ULTRAHIGH MOLECULAR WEIGHT POLYETHYLENE

Abstract

The present invention relates to polymers and, specifically, to surface modification of polymers. In one exemplary embodiment, the present invention increases the bond strength of UHMWPE components to PMMA bone cement by creating a chemical bond between the UHMWPE components and the PMMA bone cement. Specifically, in one exemplary embodiment, a surface of the UHMWPE component that is to be bonded to PMMA bone cement is treated with an oxidizing agent, such as an aqueous solution of hydrogen peroxide. In one exemplary embodiment, the UHMWPE component is treated with hydrogen peroxide by swabbing the surface of the UHMWPE component with the hydrogen peroxide solution. The surface of the UHMWPE component may then be dried and PMMA bone cement applied to the surface of the UHMWPE component.

Claims23

Dependent claims

A method of treating a polymer surface to increase adhesion of bone cement, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an aqueous solution comprising an oxidizing agent;
coating a surface of a polymer with the solution to form a treated surface;
positioning the polymer adjacent to one of an orthopedic component and a bone;
and
placing bone cement between the treated surface of the polymer and the one of the orthopedic component and the bone to bond the polymer to the one of the orthopedic component and the bone.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Surface modification of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene

Life of this patent

Surface modification of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims23