Tribology is still an uncommon term in engineering usage but is rapidly becoming familiar to bioengineers. As defined by the author of this book, it is the field that deals with the phenomena of friction, wear, and lubrication. John Dumbleton's book, The Tribology of Natural and Artificial Joints, deals with these aspects but uses them as a platform for a more general consideration of many basic science and engineering aspects of natural and artificial or prosthetic joints. It is especially timely in that the initial enthusiasm for artificial joint replacement, conditioned by Charnley's success in the hip is now being tempered by problems associated with the differing mechanics of other joints and the generally increasing service life and performance requirements imposed by younger, more active patients.
John Dumbleton is a well known researcher and educator in orthopaedic engineering, with a special interest in tribology. This interest and background is continually reflected in this well researched work. In eleven chapters, this book deals with a broad variety of concerns in natural and artificial joints. In addition to the broad view of the author, there are several excellent contributed chapters, including one on friction and wear of natural joints by Professor V. Wright, which is an excellent successor to his earlier monograph on the same subject. G. R. Higginson and T. Unsworth discuss natural lubrication processes in another contributed chapter. Perhaps the most interesting and possibly the most novel chapter is the one contributed by Dr. H. G. Willert and his associates G. Buchorn and M. Semlitsch on the recognition and identification of wear debris in tissue. This will be a useful guide to engineers and histologists alike.
Engineers involved in joint replacement design and development, basic and applied researchers and clinicians with an interest in the engineering foundations of total joint replacement should not be without this valuable and interesting book. Despite its high price, reflecting the specialist nature of its intended audience, this book is an excellent value due to its wealth of challenging ideas and massive reference lists.