Ethics Dilemma in Development of orthopedic bearing surfaces.

Design and analysis of orthopedic prostheses; design and metallurgy of porous-metal-coated implants; study of implant/host interfaces; growth and repair of cartilage

Orthopaedic biomaterials and tribology research focuses on the measurement and prediction of friction, wear, and surface temperatures during sliding in mechanical components. Debris generation from polyethylene wear is considered the biggest problem facing joint replacement today. Current research on cross-linked polyethylene is targeting this problem which involves an analysis of the trade-offs between wear resistance achieved by cross links, and toughness and contact fatigue resistance of the polymer. Tribological studies of polymers analyze wear, contact fatigue and viscoelastic behavior in oscillatory sliding or rolling/sliding contact.

Joint replacement technology research at Thayer School takes place within the Dartmouth Biomedical Engineering Center for Orthopaedics (DBEC). Since 1976, DBEC has acquired over 9000 retrieved joint implant specimens—the largest collection in the world—and has systematically identified and solved most problems related to the production, design, and materials of joint replacement technology.

Remaining issues and current foci of the program include:

* determination of the rate of oxidation in vivo of polyethylene subjected to new sterilization techniques
* performance of new crosslinked polyethylene materials
* wear of new metal-on-metal and ceramic-on-ceramic technologies

http://engineering.dartmouth.edu/dbec/