Vivacit-E® Vitamin E Highly Crosslinked Polyethylene

Zimmer Biomet developed Vivacit-E® Vitamin E Highly Crosslinked Polyethylene with antioxidant protection to meet the long-term performance needs of high demand patients. Building on the legacy of Longevity® Highly Crosslinked Polyethylene with more than 13 years of clinical success1, our proprietary process results in:

Oxidative Stability2

It’s widely accepted that oxidation is a primary aging mechanism of polyethylene, which can lead to osteolysis and implant failure.1-2 The oxidative stability of Vivacit-E HXPE is the result of a proprietary process that grafts (locks) vitamin E directly to the polyethylene chain.3-6 The vitamin E continuously stabilises the material to prevent oxidative degradation of the polyethylene. When subjected to accelerated aging for 33 weeks (16 times the industry standard), Vivacit-E HXPE showed no signs of oxidation or significant decline in mechanical properties.2

Ultra-low Wear7

The ultra-low wear rates of Longevity bearings have been well established over 13 years of clinical history.1 Testing showed ultra-low wear with a 96% wear reduction compared to conventional polyethylene and 73% wear reduction compared to re-melted HXPE polyethylene.8

Improved Strength9-10

There are many tests to define a material’s strength. Zimmer Biomet has realised an improvement in tensile strength with Vivacit-E HXPE. Vivacit-E HXPE has antioxidant protection that eliminates the need to re-melt the polyethylene, leading to an improvement in strength. The vitamin E in Vivacit-E HXPE prevents oxidation, resulting in mechanical strength that is retained after accelerated aging for more than 16 times the 2-week industry standard test according to ASTM F2003.2,9,11

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References

  1. Bragdon, C., et al. Clinical Multicenter Studies of the Wear Performance of Highly Crosslinked Remelted Polyethylene in THA. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 71:393-402; 2013.
  2. Pletcher, D., et al. Vitamin E Grafted HXPE Shows Superior Mechanical Property Retention Compared to Conventional UHMWPE and Sequentially Annealed HXP.  Poster No. 1868, ORS 2014 Meeting.
  3. Oral, E., et al. Crosslinked Vitamin E Blended UHMWPE with Improved Grafting and Wear Resistance. Poster No. 1181. ORS 2011 Meeting.
  4. Oral, E., et al. Trace amounts of grafted vitamin E protect UHMWPE against squalene-initiated oxidation. Poster No. 1295. ORS 2011 Meeting.
  5. Rowell, S., et al. Detection of Vitamin E in Irradiated UHMWPE by UV-Visible Spectroscopy. Poster No. 1186. ORS 2011 Meeting.
  6. Wolf, C., et al. Radiation Grafting of Vitamin E to Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene. Poster No. 1178. ORS 2011 Meeting.
  7. Zimmer ZRR _WA_2512_12.
  8. Zimmer ZRR_WA_2537_12.
  9. Zimmer ZRR _WA_2401_11, Rev. 1.
  10. Peiserich, M., et al. Retention of Mechanical Properties in a Blended Vitamin E Polyethylene After Extreme Oxidative Challenge. Poster No. 1060. ORS 2013 Meeting.
  11. 11. Zimmer TM1140.98.

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