Development of Biomaterial for Total Hip Joint Replacement

Overall development of hip joints and associated biomaterials is a great challenge for the research engineers and orthopedic surgeons now-a-days. Various biomaterials are developed for manufacturing the hip prostheses. Some successful biomaterials are polymers like PTFE and UHMWPE, metals like 316L steel, Ti alloy and Co-Cr alloy, ceramics like Zirconia, alumina, Titanium coated ceramic alloys, high pressed Al₂O₃, composite and glass. In recent times, Hydroxyapatite is frequently used throughout the world for hip prosthesis components. The two types of hip joint replacement techniques are hemi-hip arthroplasty and total hip arthroplasty (THA). The first batch hip joint replacement techniques have already been represented by Charnley and other scientists in 1950s. Only few techniques were used with predictable results before 1960s. The lower friction Metal on polythene technique is of great challenge for total hip replacement method and it is also known as the modern Charnley hip prosthesis. This paper presents the chronological development of all technologies relating to the total hip replacement procedure and the associated biomaterials. The history and recent technologies for development of suitable biomaterials and different designs are covered in detail. To this end the new trend and direction in materials development in the research area have also been emphasized.