vitamys is the new and innovative highly cross-linked polyethylene (HXLPE) from Mathys. Designed for durability and longevity, vitamys meets the highest expectations of a modern orthopaedic implant material. Enriched with vitamin E, this HXLPE heralds its next generation.
Optimal thermal treatment and the addition of vitamin E makes vitamys one of the most durable HXLPE available today. The addition of vitamin E as anti-oxidant is currently the only method to preserve mechanical properties and ageing resistance. During and after the cross linking process, vitamin E binds oxygen and allows the free radicals to reconnect the carbon-hydrogen (CH2) chains.
Extensive testing demonstrated the excellent performance of vitamys: In the in-vitro accelerated ageing test, vitamys proved to be long term oxidation and ageing resistant. With the addition of vitamin E, vitamys demonstrated oxidation resistance for a period of 40 years or more under physiological condition.
In hip simulator test, ceramic/vitamys and CoCr/vitamys bearings showed 7 times lower wear rates compared to conventional CoCr/UHMWPE couplings. Furthermore, vitamys is the first and only highly cross-linked polyethylene used in total hip replacement that is equivalent to the best PE type 1 classification (according to ISO), meeting all requirements for yield strength, ultimate tensile strength and elongation at break. These mechanical properties are most important for long-term performance of the material.*
vitamys is a high wear resistant alternative to hard/hard bearings for young and active patients. Used in combination with our ceramic heads ceramys or Bionit2 there is no risk of increased ion levels or risk of chipping/fracture of the inlay a truly <<forgiving>> combination.
