Wear patterns on retrieved polyethylene tibial inserts and their relationship to technical considerations during total knee arthroplasty

Fifty-five unconstrained polyethylene tibial inserts were retrieved at revision total knee arthroplasty and examined for evidence of wear after a mean implantation time of 34.2 months (2.5-80 months). Twenty inserts were ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) and 35 were carbon-reinforced polyethylene. Topographic maps of the articular and metal-backed surfaces of each component were constructed to characterize the extent and location of polyethylene degradation, identified visually by mode. In 32 of the retrieved inserts, pre- and postarthroplasty or prerevision radiographs were analyzed for component positioning, sizing, and extremity alignment. These factors then were compared with the patterns and severity of polyethylene wear on the inserts to establish correlations. Severe generalized articular wear was seen in inserts with third body wear from patellar metal-backed failure and cement debris. Severe localized delamination wear was seen in inserts with rotational-subluxation patterns of wear (p = 0.05). The external rotation subluxation wear pattern was strongly associated with knees that had lateral subluxation of the patella (p = 0.0002). Articular wear and cold flow into screw holes tended to be greater in the tightest prearthroplasty compartment (medial in the varus knee [p = 0.0157]; lateral in the valgus knees [p = 0.0226]). Fourteen of 16 knees with a preoperative varus deformities--even when corrected to a normal postarthroplasty anatomic axis--still had greater medial compartment articular wear (p = 0.001). Twelve of these knees did not have a medial release at the time of initial arthroplasty. Preoperative varus also was found to be related to the occurrence of posteromedial cold flow of polyethylene into tibial tray screw holes (p = 0.007). Increasing tibial insert posterior slope was associated with increasingly posterior articular wear track location (p = 0.03). This study indicates that unconstrained tibial component wear patterns and severity may be associated with clinical and mechanical factors under the surgeon's control, including component size and position, and knee alignment and ligament balance.