United Orthopedic Corp. received FDA 510(k) clearance for its vitamin E highly cross-linked polyethylene hip liner.
Here are three things to know:
1. The E-XPE is designed to enhance wear resistance and reduce the risk of oxidation.
2. "Over time, wear of conventional polyethylene can generate debris in the joint, triggering local inflammation that results in bone loss which is one of the biggest causes of late-term failure in hip and knee replacements," said United Orthopedic Corp., President and CEO Calvin Lin.
3. Vitamin E is a biological antioxidant that helps prevent the oxidative degradation of cell membrane phospholipids. When added to ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, it helps prevent oxidation of the polyethylene chains.