Thomas Birdsall

• BEng (Hons) Mechanical Engineering
• Learning from failure: a study of explanted metal on metal hip joints

Many people with arthritis receive a new hip.  Most are successful but some wear out.  One of the latest designs aims to minimise wear by having each part made from a high strength, low wear metal.  However, a small number are failing early leading to an additional major operation.  Local orthopaedic surgeons have provided a number of these failed artificial joints for independent engineering analysis. I will undertake a full assessment of the failed joints to discover why they have failed.

Funding source: Newcastle University