The influence of dynamic loads resulting from human motor activity and electrocorrosion inside the human body on the strength parameters of artificial joint elements has not yet been investigated. Hip joint arthroplasty is the most common surgical procedure in the world that allows doctors to remove pain and restore motor skills in people with severe hip diseases, after accidents, and in the elderly. Based on the reports, this article assesses changes in the number of implanted endoprostheses in the years 2005–2019 and determines the trends and estimated changes in the number of implanted hip prostheses in the following decades. The study assesses changes in selected strength parameters of UHMW-PE polyethylene inserts of hip joint endoprostheses during their use in the human body. The research was carried out on appropriately collected samples from UHMW-PE cups removed from the human body with a known history and lifetime from 4 to 10 years. Patients’ body weight ranged from 735 [N] to 820 [N], and the declared physical activity was similar in the entire research group. As part of the research, the values of changes in dynamic modules and the mechanical loss coefficient were determined in relation to the share of the crystalline and amorphous phases of artificial UHMW-PE cups, removed from the human body after different periods of exploitation under similar operating conditions. The analysis of selected strength parameters was performed at a temperature of 40 °C, which corresponds to the working conditions inside the human body. On the basis of numerical studies, the influence of changes in material parameters on the deformation of the artificial acetabulum during the patient’s motor activity, which is one of the causes of fatigue destruction, was determined.

This paper is devoted to research of high-density polyethylene (HDPE), which belongs to one of three main biomaterial groups, i.e. polymeric materials. Hence, due to its unique properties, it still plays an important role in biomedical applications – especially in the production of medical equipment, implants and parts of prostheses. This publication deals with the effect of selected conditions of processing which involved injection moulding on the mechanical properties and structure of HDPE mouldings. Samples for tests were produced on a Krauss  Maffei injection moulder on the basis of a research plan prepared using the STATISTICA program. According to this schedule, the following variable parameters of the injection process were selected: injection temperature Tw [C], mould temperature Tf [C] and injection velocity vw [mm/s]. In addition, a part of the moldings was subjected to a few processings. Then the samples obtained were subjected to different tests: tensile, impact and hardness tests, Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and the melt flow rate (MFR) test in order to determine the influence of selected injection conditions and the multiplicity of processing on the mechanical, rheological and structural properties of HDPE.

The article has been devoted to issues connected with the alloplasty and hip joint endoprostheses, that elements are being developed, which is supported by strength, tribological tests on used biomaterials, incl. polyethylene or computer modelling based on e.g. finite element method (FeM). In this paper, the results of research on the impact of the material articulations of the system head -acetabular and friction conditions on strength parameters of polyethylene components in the hip joint endoprosthesis. Numerical analysis of this friction node was carried out, using the AdINA System computer program and the simulations were performed at various friction conditions for metal/ polyethylene and ceramic/ polyethylene articulations with various UHMWPe modifications. The simulations results have shown the influence of tested material associations and friction conditions on parameters related to the strength of polyethylene cups, i.e. their displacements, stresses and deformations.

No abstract