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Total Hip Replacement: Insights in the Etiology of In Vivo Corrosion
Start Date: 6/12/2019Start Time: 12:00 PM
End Date: 6/12/2019End Time: 2:00 PM
Event Description
BIOMED PhD Thesis Defense

Title:
Total Hip Replacement: Insights in the Etiology of In Vivo Corrosion and an Electrochemical Framework for Quantitatively Evaluating its
Impact on the Taper Connection

Speaker:
Genymphas Higgs, PhD Candidate
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
Drexel University

Advisor:
Steven Kurtz, PhD
Research Professor
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
Drexel University

Details:
There are over 2.5 million people living in the United States with a hip replacement, and nearly all designs feature a taper connection. Tapers allow surgeons to configure an implant that can better address an individual patient’s needs, but these junctions may wear and corrode, resulting in the release of metallic debris into the patient. Not only have these particles been associated with biological reactions such as tissue damage and elevated systemic blood ion levels, but the corrosion process has recently been identified as a possible contributor to mechanical taper failure.

This talk summarizes efforts that have been made to elucidate the clinical variables (patient, surgeon and device design) associated with taper corrosion, and experimentally assess the effects of this phenomenon on the taper connection. With the understanding that corrosion is a process underpinned by electron flow and chemical changes to the alloy, the value of impedance spectroscopy in understanding the electrochemical behavior of the taper interface is highlighted. Ultimately, this work provides a quantitative insight into corrosion severity and proposes a non-destructive framework to identify subsurface corrosion features. Additionally, the value of large-scale retrieval analysis as a source for real-world evidence mandated by the 21st Century Cures Act is demonstrated.
Contact Information:
Name: Ken Barbee
Phone: 215-895-1335
Email: barbee@drexel.edu
Genymphas Higgs
Location:
Science Center, Liberty Conference Room, 3440 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA
Audience:
  • Undergraduate Students
  • Graduate Students
  • Faculty
  • Staff
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