Orthopedic PAEK-on-polymer bearings

1. An orthopedic prosthetic knee, shoulder or ankle joint comprising:

a joint couple having a first joint component capable of being mounted on a femur, humerus or talus, the first joint component having a first bearing surface made of a poly aryl ether ketone (PAEK), and a second joint component capable of being mounted on a proximal tibia, glenoid or tibia, the second joint component having a second bearing surface made of a polymer, the first and second bearing surfaces in sliding engagement directly with one another,

wherein the first bearing surface made of the PAEK is composed of a substantially pure non-fiber reinforced polyetheretherketone (PEEK) and the second bearing surface made of the polymer is composed of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE), and

wherein the first bearing surface has a higher shore D hardness than the second bearing surface.

2. The orthopedic prosthetic joint as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the second bearing surface comprises UHMWPE which is crosslinked.

3. The orthopedic prosthetic joint as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the first joint component is a stand-alone component.

4. The orthopedic prosthetic joint as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the PEEK bearing comprises a layer of pure PEEK coated, molded or grafted onto a solid or porous polymer substrate.

5. The orthopedic prosthetic joint as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the PEEK bearing comprises a layer of pure PEEK coated, molded or grafted onto a solid or porous metallic substrate.

6. The orthopedic prosthetic joint as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the PEEK bearing comprises a layer of pure PEEK coated, molded or grafted onto a solid or porous ceramic substrate.

7. The orthopedic prosthetic joint as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the first bearing surface or the second bearing surface is configured to contact a bone and comprises a porous PAEK layer for bone ingrowth.

8. The orthopedic prosthetic joint as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the second bearing comprises a crosslinked polyethylene.

9. The orthopedic prosthetic joint as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the second bearing surface comprises polyethylene which is non-crosslinked.

10. An orthopedic prosthetic knee, shoulder or ankle joint comprising:

a first bearing surface consisting of a substantially pure non-fiber reinforced PEEK, the first bearing surface capable of being mounted on a femur, humerus or talus; and

a second bearing surface capable of being mounted on a proximal tibia, glenoid or tibia, in direct sliding contact with the first bearing surface, the second bearing surface consisting of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE).

11. The orthopedic prosthetic joint as set forth in claim 10 , wherein the UHMWPE is cross-linked at least three times by irradiation, heating after irradiation and cooling after each heating.

12. The orthopedic prosthetic joint as set forth in claim 10 , wherein the PEEK bearing comprises a layer of pure PEEK coated, molded or grafted onto a solid or porous polymer composite substrate.

13. The orthopedic prosthetic joint as set forth in claim 10 , wherein the PEEK bearing comprises a layer of pure PEEK coated, molded or grafted onto a solid or porous metallic substrate.

14. The orthopedic prosthetic joint as set forth in claim 10 , wherein the PEEK bearing comprises a layer of pure PEEK coated, molded or grafted onto a solid or porous ceramic or ceramic composite substrate.

15. The orthopedic prosthetic joint as set forth in claim 10 , wherein the first bearing surface or the second bearing surface is configured to contact a bone and has a porous PEEK layer for bone ingrowth.

16. The orthopedic prosthetic joint as set forth in claim 10 , wherein the polyethylene has been crosslinked by irradiation.

17. An orthopedic prosthetic knee, shoulder or ankle joint comprising:

a joint couple having a first joint component capable of being mounted on a femur, glenoid or tibia, the first joint component having a first bearing surface, the first bearing surface made of a poly aryl ether ketone (PAEK) and a second joint component capable of being mounted on a proximal tibia, humerus or talus, the second joint component having a second bearing surface, the second bearing surface made of a polymer, the first and second bearing surfaces in sliding engagement directly with one another,

wherein the first bearing surface made of the PAEK is composed of a substantially pure non-fiber reinforced polyetheretherketone (PEEK) and the second bearing surface made of the polymer is composed of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE),

wherein the first bearing surface has a higher shore D hardness than the second bearing surface.

18. An orthopedic prosthetic knee, shoulder or ankle joint comprising:

a first bearing surface consisting of a substantially pure non-fiber reinforced PEEK, the first bearing surface capable of being mounted on a femur, glenoid or tibia; and

a second bearing surface capable of being mounted on a proximal tibia, humerus or talus, in direct sliding contact with the first bearing surface, the second bearing surface consisting of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE).

19. An orthopedic prosthetic shoulder or ankle joint comprising:

a joint couple having a first joint component capable of being mounted on a humerus or talus, the first joint component having a first bearing surface made of a poly aryl ether ketone (PAEK), and a second joint component capable of being mounted on a glenoid or tibia, the second joint component having a second bearing surface made of a polymer, the first and second bearing surfaces in sliding engagement directly with one another,

wherein the first bearing surface made of the PAEK is composed of a substantially pure non-fiber reinforced polyetheretherketone (PEEK) and the second bearing surface made of the polymer is composed of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE), and

wherein the first bearing surface has a higher shore D hardness than the second bearing surface.