3rd Annual UHMWPE Conference

The conference transactions are being made publicly available with permission of the conference organizers, Prof. J.A. Puértolas, Dr. L. Munuera, and Dr. E. Gómez-Barrena.

Ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) is the key material to facilitate excellent long-term results in total joint arthroplasties. In spite of significant research and development in the previous years, new aspects are still controversial and clinical use of recent improvements is limited. This situation fosters new research while spreading UHMWPE updated knowledge to the orthopaedic community. This meeting was planned in two main parts: one basic research module, open for papers and oriented to gather cutting-edge research on UHMWPE; and a second part oriented to clinical aspects and discussion. Furthermore, a meeting of the Orthopaedic group of the 537 COSTAction, from the European Science Foundation, gathering representatives from 13 European countries, was combined to the meeting. Scientific sessions that occured in the afternoon of Saturday the 15th were opened to researchers participating in this meeting and interested in retrieval analysis of orthopaedic implants. Again, from the basic science into the clinical use, many interesting topics were covered in two exciting days to update research on UHMWPE. We are also pleased to announce that the 4th UHMWPE International Meeting will be organized by Prof. Luigi Costa in Torino, Italy in September 2009.