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Longevity® Highly Crosslinked Polyethylene

Longevity Crosslinked Polyethylene was developed to address the issue of wear in total hip arthroplasty. To help ensure optimal wear resistance, Zimmer employs a proprietary process.

Removable Longevity Liners are available in neutral, elevated, oblique, and 7-mm offset. This offers a range of options to assist the surgeon in optimizing femoral head coverage and restoring proper hip kinematics.

Using high-dose electron-beam radiation, this process fully crosslinks broken molecular chains, leaving virtually no free radicals to promote oxidation.

This process creates a three-dimensional structure that is more resistant to abrasion and process a 10-fold wear rate reduction compared to standard polyethylene control samples.1,2 Extensive hip-simulator wear testing has demonstrated the benefits of crosslinking with Longevity Polyethylene.

Longevity Crosslinked Polyethylene is available with the Trilogy ® Acetabular System.

Works as Predicted
In vivo

  • 10+ years of clinical experience
  • More than 1 million Zimmer Highly Crosslinked Polyethylene Liners implanted3
  • In a seven to ten year follow-up of 247 primary THA's using Zimmer Highly Crosslinked Liners, femoral head penetration did not increase over time after the first year of implantation using 241 primary THA's using standard polyethylene as the control4

In vitro5

  • Independent testing has shown that the in vitro wear rate of Zimmer's Highly Crosslinked Polyethylene was near zero and lower than that of its competitors

Please refer to the package inserts for complete product information, including contraindications, warnings, precautions, and adverse effects.

Cleaning Instructions

Longevity implants are sterilized with Ethylene Oxide Gas and carry the symbol on the labeling. These devices remain sterile as long as the package integrity has not been violated. Inspect each package prior to use and do not use the component if any seal or cavity is damaged or breached or if the expiration date has been exceeded. Once opened, the component must be used or discarded.

Resterilization Information
Resterilization of this device is specifically not recommended.

References

  1. Data on file at Zimmer, Inc.
  2. Oonishi H, Saito M, Kadoya Y. Wear of high-dose gamma irradiated polyethylene in total joint replacement – long-term radiological evaluation. 44th Annual Meeting, Orthopaedic Research Society, March 16-19, 1998.
  3. Bragdon, CR, et al., Seven-to-Ten Year Follow-Up of Highly Crosslinked Polyethylene Liners in Total Hip Arthroplasty, Poster No. 2444, 55th Annual Meeting of the Orthopaedic Research Society, Las Vegas, 2009.
  4. Data on file at Zimmer.
  5. Muratoglu OK, et al., The comparison of the wear behavior of four different types of crosslinked acetabular components. 46th Annual Meeting of the Orthopaedic Research Society. Paper 0566. 2000.

Product Brochure

Technology

Crosslinking has been shown to reduce the wear rate of polyethylene by up to 89% in laboratory studies.1 Clinical experience with highly crosslinked polyethylenes has also demonstrated a substantial reduction in the rate of wear.2,3 This remarkable process creates a three-dimensional structure that is more resistant to abrasion.4,5
Longevity Highly Crosslinked Polyethylene was developed to address the issue of wear in total hip arthroplasty. To help ensure optimal wear resistance, Zimmer employs a proprietary process based in part on patents licensed from Massachusetts General Hospital and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Using high-dose electron-beam radiation, this process fully crosslinks broken molecular polyethylene chains, leaving virtually no free radicals to promote oxidation.

The process produces a 10-fold wear rate reduction—an average 89% reduction of debris generated—compared to standard polyethylene control samples.1 The material also meets all of the mechanical property requirements of the ASTM and ISO standards. Longevity Crosslinked Polyethylene is available with the Continuum ® Acetabular System, Trabecular Metal™ Modular Acetabular System, and Trilogy ® Acetabular System, which is based on the long Zimmer tradition of clinical success with the Harris-Galante™ and HGP II porous cups.

References

  1. Data on file at Zimmer, Inc.
  2. Oonishi H, Saito M, Kadoya Y. Wear of high-dose gamma irradiated polyethylene in total joint replacement – longterm radiological evaluation. 44th Annual Meeting, Orthopaedic Research Society, March 16-19, 1998.
  3. Wroblewski BM, Siney PD, Fleming PA. Low-friction arthroplasty of the hip using alumina ceramic and crosslinked polyethylene. J Bone Joint Surg (Br). 1999; 81-B: 54-5.
  4. Grobbelaar CJ, DuPlessis TA, Marais F. The radiation improvement of polyethylene prosthesis. J Bone Joint Surg. 1978;60-B(3):370-374.
  5. Oonishi H, Kuno M, Ikada Y, et al. Super low wear crosslinked UHMWPE by heavy high-dose gammaradiation. Proceedings from the 2nd Congress of Hip Section of Western Pacific Orthopaedic Assn. 1996;4.

Indications

Indications

  • The system is indicated for primary or revision surgery in skeletally mature individuals for rehabilitating hips damaged as a result of noninflammatory degenerative joint disease (NIDJD) or its composite diagnoses of osteoarthritis, avascular necrosis, protrusio acetabuli, traumatic arthritis, slipped capital epiphysis, fused hip, fracture of the pelvis, and diastrophic variant
  • The system is intended for use either with or without bone cement in total hip arthroplasty

Contraindications

This device is contraindicated for the following:

  • Osteoradionecrosis
  • Neuromuscular compromise, vascular deficiency, or other conditions in the affected limb that may lead to inadequate skeletal fixation
  • Dystemic or local infection

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