BIOTRIBOLOGICAL FUNCTIONALITY OF CARTILAGE INTERACTING WITH ADDITIVE MANUFACTURED AND NON-METAL PARTIAL IMPLANTS

Purpose (the aim of the study): Partial implants present a promising minimally invasive alternative for patients with unicompartimental osteoarthritis and even aim to avoid the necessity of a total joint replacement. Total joint replacements are rising in numbers and ought to be delayed due to their limited durability. Next to durability, accelerated wear resulting from metal-on-cartilage interfaces when the common metallic implant cobalt-chromium-molybdenum (CoCrMo) is applied for total knee arthroplasty without patellar resurfacing, and other partial resurfacing procedures.