Active Articulation E1 Dual Mobility Hip System

Mid Florida Ortho

Hip Anatomy

The hip is a ball-and-socket joint. The femoral head (ball) rides in the acetabulum (socket). The joint is lined with a lubricating tissue called cartilage, which cushions the joint as it moves and bears weight.

The system features two balls (heads). Ball 1 rotates within ball 2, and when needed, ball 2 moves against the cup.

Total Hip Replacement

Hip replacement surgery removes the arthritic ball of the upper femur (thighbone) as well as the damaged bone and cartilage from the hip socket. The damaged bone and cartilage are replaced with implants made from materials including metal alloys, polyethylene (plastic), or ceramic.

The implants are designed to create a new, smoothly functioning joint that replaces painful bone-on-bone contact.

What is Dual Mobility Hip Replacement?

Dual mobility hip replacement is based on two design concepts for the ball-and-socket portion of hip replacement. The two concepts are:

• A small femoral head (ball) can reduce wear1
• A large femoral head (ball) can reduce the risk of dislocation and increase range of motion

Biomet engineers have combined the benefits of dual mobility hip replacement and E1® antioxidant technology into one hip replacement system called the Active Articulation™ E1® Hip System.

Let's take a look at how the Active Articulation™ hip system works. Traditional hip replacement uses a ball that moves against a cup, much like a normal hip.

Dual mobility hip implants use an additional implant component. The system features a ball that rotates inside a second ball, and the second ball moves against a cup.

How Does Dual Mobility Hip Replacement Work?

During normal movement, the head, or ball, of the implant rotates inside the secondary ball, which normally doesn't move (figure 1). This motion occurs during the majority of regular, every day activities like walking and sitting. When the first ball reaches the limit of its range of motion, the second ball will also move (figure 2). This secondary movement allows a larger range of motion.

Benefits of the Active Articulation™ E1® Dual Mobility Hip System

There are several benefits to Active Articulation™ E1® Dual Mobility Hip replacement. Some of these benefits include:

• Reduced risk of dislocation - The large E1® bearings offer great stability and resistance to dislocation
• Large range of motion - up to 165 degrees
• Ultra-low wear, up to 95% less wear compared to traditional hip replacement
• Antioxidant implant technology

Biomet merges the benefits of dual mobility with E1® Antioxidant Infused Technology.

Antioxidants are good for your body. Vitamin E is an antioxidant that is now known to be good for polyethylene joint replacement implants, too. Polyethylene inserts can react with oxygen, creating an effect similar to a browning apple. This reaction is known as "oxidation." Over time, oxidation can weaken the polyethylene inserts. Biomet's E1® inserts are produced with Vitamin E, a natural antioxidant which, in laboratory testing, has shown to protect the material from the effects of oxidation.4 Biomet is currently the only company offering Vitamin E antioxidant technology in hip and knee implants in the United States. The Active Articulation™ E1® Hip System merges the benefits of dual mobility with Antioxidant Infused Bearing Technology.