Reflecting on the Key Discussion Points from the 2024 Implant Polymers: UHMWPE & Peek Conference

As the Platinum Sponsor for the 2024 Implant Polymers: UHMWPE & Peek Conference, Celanese was delighted to play its part in bringing together engineers, scientists, regulators, and clinicians to discuss the latest innovations in orthopedic implants such as artificial hips, knees, other joints and spine surgery. There was also a meaningful focus on implant polymers and the rapidly growing field of polymer implant additive manufacturing technology.

This prestigious biennial event is regarded as the ‘go to’ conference and this year didn’t disappoint, with many meaningful discussions having taken place around cutting edge research and innovation, supply chain resilience and sustainability; all against the magnificent backdrop of the city of Barcelona.

In this blog, we have brought together the Celanese team that attended the event to share their reflections and predictions on what lies in store for us in this ever-expanding, ever-exciting space. Indeed, in recognition of the importance of this event, we gathered a blended team of technical experts alongside commercial professionals so that we could make a 3600 assessment of the rich perspectives of those attending.

Along with patient considerations such as safety and efficacy, there are, of course, macro-environmental factors, including cost and time to market, that dictate the success or otherwise of any medical device. However, there is a new dynamic to add to that paradigm – sustainability. Whether that dynamic is driven by consumer desire, industry consciousness or regulatory demand, sustainability is an increasingly important metric in the decision to specify a certain material provider.

Recognizing this, Celanese presented its GURa UHMWPE sustainable implant grade which stimulated a great deal of debate. As the respected market leader, we do believe it is our responsibility to lead the industry not just in terms of supply chain security and quality, but also in supporting our partners in achieving their own sustainability targets. You can find out more about our award winning, enterprise wide sustainability initiatives by clicking here .

Another key area of debate was the perennial issue of reducing infection rates. The discussion here was around utilizing antibacterials to be released at the point of trauma. Reducing the use of metals to avoid the risk of increased metal ions in the body and ensure better fit was also a hot topic – with ceramics the mooted solution. There is much to consider here, but certainly something to look out for as the discussion continues.

Alongside postoperative infections, reducing postoperative revisions is always of interest to delegates. Different processing and crosslinking methods were discussed as a solution with much innovation focused on utilizing chemical crosslinking instead of irradiation cross linking. It is believed for example, that post operative revisions can be greatly reduced when using highly crosslinked UHMWPE as in our GUR? 1020-E.

As the market leading provider of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, we are very mindful of the requirement to ensure consistency of supply – not only in terms of mitigating business interruption, but also continuity of quality. A couple of converters did raise concerns about new, poorer quality materials entering the European market and looked for reassurance that supply is not an issue – a guarantee we were happy to provide.

The option to produce non-loadbearing parts by injection molding using a special grade (GUR? 1001) has also found a lot of interest among the participants.

Another consistent topic was that of longevity. As much of the world's population remains active later in life, and as a result, life expectancy increases, the clamor for implants to last longer grows – even perhaps into 25-30 years.

Post Covid, we have witnessed the emergence of surgery centers in North America – a trend we anticipate growing in Europe in the next few years. Covered by insurance, these centers utilize robotics for a more precise fit, that also reduces infection rates due to less contamination.

So, as always, a great deal to consider, to discuss and to resolve. Some historic challenges remain, and some new ones have emerged. At Celanese we are extremely proud to be the lighthouse in this sector in terms of strong market stewardship, and our focus on innovation and collaboration – a commitment exemplified by our continued platinum sponsorship of the Implant Polymers: PEEK and UHMWPE Conference 2024.

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To find out more about any of the topics discussed, or the Celanese portfolio of market leading solutions contact us here.