# Advancing Hemiarthroplasty: Predicting in vivo performance of cartilage bearing systems through benchtop and ex vivo testing.

> **NIH NIH R01** · RHODE ISLAND HOSPITAL · 2024 · $638,180

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
The ultimate goal of this research program is to advance hemiarthroplasty performance. Hemiarthroplasty
involves replacement of one of the articular joint surfaces with an artificial bearing surface. It offers a clear benefit
in patients with localized cartilage damage, preserving the healthy bone and cartilage in the joint to maximize
future treatment options. And hemiarthroplasty is inherent in the replacement of individually diseased carpal
(wrist) or tarsal (foot) bones, which have multiple articulations with neighboring bones. Currently,
hemiarthroplasty outcomes vary dramatically by the joint involved and by the type of bearing surface used to
articulate with the opposing cartilage. Failure most often occurs by degeneration of the opposing articular
surface. A critical challenge in advancing hemiarthroplasty performance is the ability to identify bearing surfaces
that will maintain healthy cartilage. There are numerous candidate biomaterials that might be suitable for use as
hemiarthroplasty bearing surfaces, including metals, ceramics, and polymers, as well as specialized coatings,
such as titanium nitride and pyrolytic carbon. However, the performance of these materials has been mixed, due
in large part to the lack of standardized and validated testing methodologies. Accordingly, the specific objective
of this project is to develop a model where benchtop and ex vivo testing can predict the cartilage response to
hemiarthroplasty bearing system wear in a fit-for-purpose large animal model. This goal will be achieved by
completing three specific aims. In the first, we will characterize the material and mechanical properties of eight
candidate hemiarthroplasty bearing surfaces (2 metals, 4 polymers, 1 ceramic, and 1 pyrolytic carbon) using
standard benchtop mechanical tests (roughness, wettability, modulus, hardness, and wear testing against
cortical bone). In the second, we will characterize the cartilage bearing performance of each of the candidate
biomaterials by wear testing them against bovine cartilage plugs in a joint motion-simulating biotribometer, using
proteoglycan/glycosaminoglycan (PG/GAG) and hydroxyproline as measures of cartilage matrix degradation and
live/dead assays as a measure of cell damage. In the third, we will test four of the 8 materials from Aims 1 & 2
as bearing surfaces in a novel unicompartmental tibial hemiarthroplasty model in the Yucatan minipig, measuring
cartilage damage (macro- and microscopic), synovial inflammation, cartilage thickness, and osteophyte bone
formation at 52 weeks. And finally, we will develop a statistical model where the data from Aims 1 and 2 can be
used to predict the outcome in Aim 3. The work outlined in this proposal will yield a model where benchtop and
ex vivo testing can predict the cartilage response to hemiarthroplasty. This project will provide a crucial tool
needed to accelerate the design, development, and FDA clearance of new hemiarthroplasty bearing surfaces,
result...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10899572
- **Project number:** 5R01AR082898-02
- **Recipient organization:** RHODE ISLAND HOSPITAL
- **Principal Investigator:** Joseph J Crisco
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $638,180
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-08-15 → 2028-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10899572

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10899572, Advancing Hemiarthroplasty: Predicting in vivo performance of cartilage bearing systems through benchtop and ex vivo testing. (5R01AR082898-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-27 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10899572. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*