A randomized controlled trial comparing Oxinium and cobalt-chrome on standard and cross-linked polyethylene.

The purpose of the investigation was to assess the clinical and radiographic outcomes in four bearing surfaces. Eighty patients (91 hips) undergoing total hip arthroplasty between 2004 and 2007 were randomized to one of four bearing surfaces: (1) cobalt-chrome (CoCr) and ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE); (2) CoCr and XLPE; (3) Oxinium and UHMWPE; and (4) Oxinium and XLPE. The mean follow-up for this study was 6.8 years. There were no significant differences in clinical outcomes. The linear wear rates for the four groups were 0.241 mm/year, 0.076 mm/year, 0.238 mm/year and 0.061 mm/year respectively. HXLPE results in significantly less wear than UHMWPE. However, we found no significant reduction in wear rate by using Oxinium in place of CoCr femoral heads at early follow-up.