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Invited Review |
Highly lubricated polymer interfaces for advanced artificial hip joints through biomimetic design
For long-lasting implants of an artificial hip joint, it is necessary to reduce the wear of the acetabular liner made with polyethylene (PE). An articular cartilage-mimicking technology has been developed by grafting poly(2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC)) onto a highly cross-linked PE using photoinduced polymerization. The thickness of the poly(MPC) graft layer is 100–200 nm. The poly(MPC)-grafted PE has been introduced on an artificial hip joint system as a liner for lubrication. This artificial hip joint has been used clinically since 2011 and implanted on over 20 000 patients.
- Kazuhiko Ishihara