BIOLOX Delta

Property Alumina Alumina ISO 6474 Alumina ISO 6474/2 Biolox Biolox forte Biolox delta Bionit ... 

Figure 4.3 Microstructure of Biolox delta. 1, Alumina grains 2, Zirconia reinforcing grains and 3, Chromia elongated platelets as crack arresters. ( With permission of CeramTec GmbH, Plochingen, Germany.)...

CeramTech, A.G. (2006) BIOLOX delta — Nanoverbundwerkstoff fur die Endoprothetik, http //www.ceramtec.com/ pdf/biolox delta de.pdf (accessed 6 December 2010). 

Starting in lune 2000, a new alumina matrix nanocomposite material (BIOLOX Delta, CeramTec, Plochingen, Germany) has been available as a femoral head material [101]. This ceramic biomaterial is now broadly used across the orthopedic industry in both femoral heads and acetabular liners. According to the manufacturer, more than 320,000 femoral heads and 160,000 acetabular inserts have been implanted on a worldwide basis as of 2008 [106]. The primary advantage of this alumina matrix composite is its increased strength, fracture toughness, and wear resistance relative to alumina (Table 6.2) [112]. 

FIGURE 6.11 Chemical composition (A) and microstructure (B) of zirconia-toughened alumina composite, BIOLOX Delta (provided courtesy of CeramTec AG, Plochingen, Germany). 

FIGURE 6.15 Ceramic-on-metal hip bearing, consisting of a ZTA (BIOLOX-Delta) femoral head articulating against a CoCr alloy insert in a Ti alloy metal shell (Depuy International, Leeds). Image provided courtesy of Prof. John Fisher, University of Leeds. 

COM technology was commercialized in 2005 by DePuy International (Leeds, United Kingdom), using a BIOLOX Delta ceramic head and a CoCr acetabular liner (Figure 6.15). Short-term follow-up at 6 months confirmed lower metal-ion release for COM in vivo compared with MOM bearings, as predicted by the hip simulator studies [8]. COM bearings are available for the international market but not yet approved by the FDA for use in the United States. 

Green DD, WilUams PA, Donaldson TK. C. Cl. BIOLOX-Forte vs. BIOLOX Delta under microseparation test mode in the USA. Trans of the 5Ist Orthop Res Soc 2(X)5 30 239. 

Zirconia toughened alumina matrix composite femoral (BIOLOX Delta, CeramTec). Image provided courtesy of... 

---