UoL Orthopaedic Retrievals Study, Version 1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Assessment of Explanted Orthopaedic Implants of the Hip, Knee and Ankle
IRAS ID
325089
Contact name
Sophie Williams
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Leeds
Duration of Study in the UK
5 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Over one million orthopaedic joint replacements are implanted into patients each year. Increasingly, these devices are being used in younger, more active patient populations which has led to increased and unprecedented demands for their function and longevity. To meet these demands, a number of technological advancements have been introduced into joint replacement technologies including advanced materials (e.g. hard-on-hard hip replacements) and new design features (e.g. rotating platform knee designs, dual mobility hip replacements). Such design changes and, indeed, all prostheses are subjected to rigorous pre-clinical testing. However, it is essential to continue monitoring the performance of these devices in-vivo to provide feedback, assess their predominant modes of implant failure and improve next-generation designs.
One way to assess the clinical performance of joint replacements is through the analysis of explanted devices (i.e. implants which have been excised from a patient following device failure). Therefore, the aim of this study is to assess the performance of explanted hip, knee and ankle joint replacement devices with regards to wear and damage using a variety of non-destructive, laboratory-based methodologies.
This research will expand the current understanding relating to how joint replacements function and fail in the body, and how various implant, surgical and/or patient factors may influence their performance. Knowledge generated through this research has the potential to inform next-generation implant designs, provide clinicians with enhanced operative guidelines (e.g. optimal implant placements) and assess the suitability of pre-clinical testing methodologies, which will ultimately benefit future joint replacement patients in the long-term.
REC name
London - Bloomsbury Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
24/PR/0385
Date of REC Opinion
26 Apr 2024
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion