Influence of Cobalt Ions on Collagen Gel Formation and Their Interaction with Osteoblasts.

Metals on metal implants have long been used in arthroplasties because of their robustness and low dislocation rate. Several relatively low-corrosion metals have been used in arthroplasty, including 316L stainless steel, titanium, and cobalt-chromium-molybdenum alloy. Debris from these implants, however, has been found to cause inflammatory responses leading to unexpected failure rates approaching 10% 7 years surgery.