Self-Reported Neurotoxic Symptoms in Hip Arthroplasty Patients With Highly Elevated Blood Cobalt: A Case-Control Study.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of self-reported neurotoxicity and cognitive defects in hip replacement patients with markedly raised blood cobalt.

Methods: Case group comprised 53 patients with metal-on-metal (MoM) implants and a history of blood Co ≥20 μg/L for a median of 3 years (interquartile range, 2-5 years). The control group comprised 53 patients with ceramic-on-ceramic prostheses and blood Co <1 μg/L.

Blood and plasma titanium levels associated with well-functioning hip implants.

Background: Hip implants are usually manufactured from cobalt-chromium and titanium alloys. As the implants wear and corrode, metal debris is released into the surrounding tissue and blood, providing a potential biomarker for their function. Whilst there are laboratory reference levels for blood cobalt and chromium in patients with well and poorly functioning hip implants, there are no such guidelines for titanium.

Blood titanium level as a biomarker of orthopaedic implant wear.

Background: Joint replacement implants are usually manufactured from cobalt-chromium or titanium alloys. After the device is implanted, wear and corrosion generate metal particles and ions, which are released into local tissue and blood. The metal debris can cause a range of adverse local and systemic effects in patients.

Synchrotron analysis of human organ tissue exposed to implant material.

Background: Orthopaedic implants made of cobalt-chromium alloy undergo wear and corrosion that can lead to deposition of cobalt and chromium in vital organs. Elevated cardiac tissue cobalt levels are associated with myocardial injury while chromium is a well-established genotoxin. Though metal composition of tissues surrounding hip implants has been established, few investigators attempted to characterize the metal deposits in systemic tissues of total joint arthroplasty patients.

Retrieval analysis of metal and ceramic femoral heads on a single CoCr stem design.

Objectives: The use of ceramic femoral heads in total hip arthroplasty (THA) has increased due to their proven low bearing wear characteristics. Ceramic femoral heads are also thought to reduce wear and corrosion at the head-stem junction with titanium (Ti) stems when compared with metal heads. We sought to evaluate taper damage of ceramic compared with metal heads when paired with cobalt chromium (CoCr) alloy stems in a single stem design.

Instestinal obstruction as a late complication in rotentgen therapy of Wilms' tumor.

A case of intestinal obstruction, as a result of radiation injury of the colon, is reported. This child was treated by roentgen therapy in the infant period because of a Wilms' tumour of the left kidney.