Metal transfer evaluation on ceramic biocomponents: A protocol based on 3D scanners

Titanium signs frequently appear on femoral heads coupled with metal back acetabular components, after dislocation or repositioning of total hip arthroplasties. These metallic deposits, called metal transfer, are a significant clinical phenomenon because they can affect the resistance and tribological performance of the prosthesis. The quantification and the study of position of the metal transfer extent over a prosthesis surface is a scientific problem to be addressed to design more effective replacements. This paper proposes a new protocol to evaluate the metal transfer amount, employing 3D optical scanners, and reverse engineering software. The technique allows the assessment of metal transfer rates, absolute areal coverage, and position of the metal deposits by acquiring the 3D digital colored model of the hip ball surfaces with high-precision 3D scanners, and separating the regions with metallic depositions by 3D mesh processing. Results permit to evaluate effects on the tribological behavior of the synovial biobearing.