Iodine-infused ultra high molecular weight polyethylene
Various embodiments disclosed relate to an implant including a crosslinked iodine-infused polyethylene. In various embodiments, the implant can be made by exposing the polyethylene to a source of iodine such that the polyethylene is infused with iodine. In various embodiments, a method of preventing microbe formation on or around an implant includes implanting a crosslinked iodine-infused implant comprising polyethylene, wherein iodine is released gradually from the implant after the implantation.
1 . An implant comprising:
a consolidated, anti-microbial material, formed of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) infused with iodine, an average concentration of the iodine in the anti-microbial material being within a range of 5 to 3000 micrograms per cubic centimeter (μg/cm 3 ), wherein the UHMWPE comprises crosslinking formed by an irradiation treatment;
wherein the infused iodine of the consolidated, anti-microbial material is water-soluble, such that when the material is placed in an aqueous environment, the material releases at least some of the infused iodine into the aqueous environment; and
wherein the infused iodine is held in amorphous regions of the anti-microbial material.
2 . The implant of claim 1 , wherein the iodine compound has an average concentration in the anti-microbial material within a range of 200 to 1000 μg/cm 3 .
3 . The implant of claim 1 , wherein the UHMWPE comprises a fat-soluble antioxidant additive or coating comprising at least one of a tocopherol, a tocopherol phosphite, a tocotrienol, vitamin E, vitamin E acetate, vitamin E phosphite, rosemary oil, pentaerythritol tetrakis(3-(3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl) propionate), butanedioic acid dimethyl ester/4-hydroxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperidine ethanol copolymer, tannic acid, bilberry extract, vitamin C, a carotene, a flavonoid, an isoflavonoid, a neoflavonoid, a lignin, quinine, ubiquinone, vitamin K1, a metal, glutathione, propyl gallate, octyl gallate, lauryl gallate, resveratrol, rosmarinic acid, rutin, 5-aminosalicylic acid, butylated hydroxy anisole, butylated hydroxy toluene, a phenolic compound, and a monomeric or polymeric hindered amine stabilizer.
4 . The implant of claim 3 , wherein the antioxidant is from about 0.01 wt. % to about 5.0 wt. % of the UHMWPE.
5 . The implant of claim 1 , wherein the anti-microbial material has a mean cumulative mass loss from about 0.001 g to about 0.005 g over about 10,000 cycles to about 1,300,000 cycles of wear analysis in a pin-on-plate analysis.
6 . The implant of claim 1 , wherein the anti-microbial material has an elastic modulus of about 250 MPa to about 400 MPa.
7 . The implant of claim 1 , wherein the anti-microbial material has an elongation at break of about 475% to about 515%.