Metallosis
is a type of metal poisoning
Do titanium hip replacements have cobalt?
The femoral stem is the portion of the replacement that fits into your thigh bone. Historically, this is made from titanium and/or
cobalt-chromium metals
. In the modern era of hip replacements, cemented stems (inserted with a surgical bone cement) are composed of cobalt-chromium metals.
Can you get metal poisoning from a titanium hip replacement?
Indeed, the metal alloys used in arthroplasty, including cobalt, chromium, titanium, and aluminum, can release
degradation
products into the surrounding tissue. These, when circulated systemically, may cause dose-dependent symptoms of metal intoxication [5,6].
What are the symptoms of cobalt toxicity?
- Cardiomyopathy (a problem where your heart becomes big and floppy and has problems pumping blood)
- Deafness.
- Nerve problems.
- Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
- Thickening of the blood.
- Thyroid problems.
- Vision problems.
How do you detect metallosis?
Diagnosing the disease usually requires conducting a
series of comprehensive blood tests
in individuals who complain of symptoms. That said, elevated levels of cobalt ions can be detected in the bloodstream, urine, hair or joint fluid of patients experiencing no symptoms at all.
Do they make hip replacements out of cobalt?
Many metal hip replacements were
constructed using a hard metal called cobalt
in order to extend the life of the hip replacement. As hip replacements fail and metal flakes enter the body, patients can suffer from cobalt toxicity (elevated cobalt levels).
What brand of hip replacement is being recalled?
Major Hip Replacement Recalls Occurred for These Popular Implant Products:
DePuy ASR Acetabular & Resurfacing System
.
Stryker Rejuvenate and ABG II Hip Recall
.
Smith & Nephew R3 Acetabular
, Modular SMF, Modular Redapt Femoral Hip Systems.
What happens when you have too much cobalt in your body?
Cobalt is
toxic to the heart muscle
. It can cause heart muscle disease (toxic cardiomyopathy) after too much exposure. An increase in red blood cells (polycythemia) may be a symptom of too much cobalt. Not treating this issue can cause congestive heart failure.
How do you test for cobalt poisoning?
The diagnosis of cobalt toxicity is based on the combination of clinical history and laboratory confirmation. The preferred method of testing is
inductively coupled mass spectrometry for metal ion value determination
, and the typical patient specimens tested include serum, whole blood, or urine.
How does the body get rid of cobalt?
Cobalt is not an accumulating metal, meaning it is stored in the liver and processed out of the
body through urine
but not stored in the bones.
How serious is Metallosis?
Metallosis can have serious effects, such as the death of bone or tissue, lead to implant failure, and
cause severe debilitating pain
. It can lead to the patient losing cognitive functioning, tissue damage and loss, and serious damage to the patient’s nervous system.
What are the symptoms of a hip replacement going bad?
Talk to your doctor if you have any concerns about your hip replacement.
Pain, squeaking, popping, or clicking in your hip
could be signs that your implant has dislocated, caused bone loss, destroyed muscle tissue, developed a pseudotumor, or some other serious side-effect of metal-on-metal hip implants.
Can you get metal poisoning from titanium?
It is not considered a toxic metal
but it is a heavy metal and it does have serious negative health effects. Titanium has the ability to affect lung function causing lung diseases such as pleural disease, it can cause chest pain with tightness, breathing difficulties, coughing, irritation of the skin or eyes.
How common is cobalt poisoning from hip replacement?
Cobalt poisoning from hip prosthesis is
rare but debilitating
. It’s caused when the metal wears and introduces cobalt into the bloodstream. This is a known risk with metal-on-metal implants, but newer data are showing that it is also a risk with metal-on-polyethylene implants. According to Dr.
What happens when you breathe in cobalt?
Exposure to high levels of cobalt in the air may result in health problems. Workers breathing air containing 100,000 times the concentration of cobalt normally found in ambient air experienced severe lung effects such as
wheezing, asthma, and pneumonia
.
How long does a titanium hip replacement last?
Studies suggest that 90 percent of knee and hip replacements still function well
10 to 15 years
after they’re implanted, but recent joint replacement innovations may make them last even longer.
