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OwnerKenneth Ashley Saum, William Michael Sanford +2inventors
InventorsKenneth Ashley Saum, William Michael Sanford, William Gerald Dimaio, Jr., Edward George Howard, Jr.
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A medical implant of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene having an improved balance of wear properties and oxidation resistance is prepared by irradiating a preform of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene, annealing the irradiated preform in the absence of oxygen to a temperature at or above the onset of melting temperature, and forming an implant from the stabilized cross-linked polymer. Implants prepared according to the process of the present invention have comparable oxidation resistance and superior wear performance compared to unirradiated ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene.
A process for preparing a medical implant having an improved balance of wear properties and oxidation resistance comprising the steps of:
A process for preparing a medical implant having an improved balance of wear properties and oxidation resistance comprising the steps of:
A cross-linked ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene having a swell ratio of less than about 5 and an oxidation level of less than about 0.2 carbonyl area/mil sample thickness after aging the ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene at 70.degree. C. for 14 days in oxygen at a pressure of about 5 atmospheres.
A process for preparing a medical implant having an improved balance of wear properties and oxidation resistance comprising the steps of:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.