What happens to the Vitamin E in a vitamin-stabilised HXLPE?

Abstract

Today many of the second-generation highly cross-linked polyethylenes (HXLPE) use vitamin E (chemical name: α-tocopherol; see Fig. 19.1) as antioxidant to further enhance the longevity of the implant [1-3]. There are two main technologies how to add the vitamin E to the polyethylene: by infusion or by blending. Depending on the manufacturing and sterilisation process and the chosen level of cross-linking, the vitamin E will thus be subjected to different amounts of high energy irradiation.