Method of texturing prosthetic implants

Abstract

A method of treating an articular surface of a metal orthopaedic implant includes polishing the surface, blasting the surface with a blast media after the first polishing step and polishing the blasted surface of the metal orthopaedic implant after the blasting step. The blasting step roughens the surface to create a surface skew Rsk/Ssk defined by peaks and valleys. The second polishing step reduces the surface skew to a negative skew Rsk/Ssk and produces an average roughness Ra/Sa that is acceptable. Lubrication at the interface of the treated articular surface and the corresponding bearing articular surface is improved, thereby improving wear resistance. Both polishing steps may be performed by drag finishing the surface through an abrasive media.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.