The XLE liners are manufactured using Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) blended with vitamin E prior to consolidation and crosslinking. This provides a uniform distribution of the vitamin E and minimizes the elution effect found in diffused vitamin E liners.1 The gamma crosslinking and annealing process, developed in conjunction with Massachusetts General Hospital, grafts the vitamin E to the polyethylene molecule, resulting in a highly crosslinked material with excellent oxidative stability.3
Novation Crown Cup XLE Liner
Novation Crown Cup XLE Liner
Novation® Crown Cup® XLE Liner
Crown Cup XLE highly crosslinked vitamin E enhanced acetabular liners provide low wear while maintaining mechanical strength, reducing free radicals and oxidative degradation.3

Oxidative Stability
Blending the vitamin E prior to consolidation allows the antioxidant to distribute uniformly throughout the material. Gamma crosslinking grafts the vitamin E molecules onto the polyethylene chains. This minimizes the elution effect found in diffused or doped vitamin E liners.1 The mechanical annealing process further quenches free radicals.3,9,10 The cumulative result is a material with oxidative stability that reduces oxidative degradation.3

Novation Crown Cup XLE Liner Resources
- Oral, E, Muratoglu, O, “The effects of high dose irradiation on the cross-linking of vitamin E-blended ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene,” Biomaterials 29 (2008) 3557-3560
- Oral, E, Muratoglu, O, “Vitamin E diffused, highly crosslinked UHMWPE: a review,” Int Orthop. 2011 Feb; 35(2): 215-223
- Data on file at Exactech.
- Muratoglu OK, Bragdon CR, O’Connor DO, Perinchief RS, Estok DM, Jasty M, Harris WH (2001) Larger diameter femoral heads used in conjunction with a highly cross-linked ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene: A new concept. J Arthroplasty 16(8 Suppl):24 -30
- Oral E, Christensen S, Malhi A, Wannomae K, Muratoglu O (2006) Wear resistance and mechanical properties of highly crosslinked UHMWPE doped with vitamin E. J Arthroplasty 21 (4):580 -591
- Muratoglu OK, Bragdon CR, O’Connor DO, Jasty M, Harris WH,Gul R, McGarry F (1999) Unified wear model for highly crosslinked ultra-high molecular weight polyethylenes (UHMWPE). Biomaterials 20(16):1463 -1470
- Ries M, Pruitt L (2005) Effect of crosslinking on the microstructure and mechanical properties of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene. Clin Orthop Relat Res 440:149 -156
- Oral E, Wannomae KK, Hawkins NE, Harris WH, Muratoglu OK (2004) a-Tocopherol doped irradiated UHMWPE for high fatigue resistance and low wear. Biomaterials 25(24):5515 -5522
- Bhattacharyya, S, Spiegelberg, S.H, Harris, W.H, Muratoglu, O.K. “Mechanical Elimination of Free Radicals in UHMWPE After Radiation.” 50th Annual Meeting of the Orthopaedic Research Society. Paper No: 0184
- Ebru Oral, Bassem W. Ghali, Orhun K. Muratoglu. “The elimination of free radicals in irradiated UHMWPEs with and without vitamin E stabilization by annealing under pressure.” J Biomed Mater Res B Appl Biomater. 2011 Apr;97(1):167-74. doi: 10.1002/jbm.b.31799. Epub 2011 Feb 24