2016 Feb;40(2):239-44. doi: 10.1007/s00264-015-3001-6. Dr. Steven Tower, an orthopedic surgeon in Alaska, recently gave a fascinating (and alarming) talk about the many neurological problems he has observed in hip patients with elevated cobalt levels in the body. The most common causes are dental or surgical procedures, urinary tract infections and skin infections. Of course technology continues to improve. Another complication that is causing DePuy knee patient's enough pain and suffering to require revision surgery is having a hypersensitivity to the Cobalt core of the DePuy knee. Some of the metal ions (e.g. Cobalt Chromium Metal Poisoning from Hip Replacements. Knee Replacement Surgery Carries Incredible Risks | 7/29/2019, Senior Women May Need 25 Percent Fewer Knee Replacement Surgeries If They Take This Drug | 7/22/2019, Cemented Knee Replacement Devices Fail at a Higher Rate in Obese Patients | 7/2/2019, Senior Citizens Can Treat an Arthritic Knee By Eating Properly | 6/10/2019, Too Many Are Opting For Knee Replacements Too Early In Life | 6/4/2019, Knee Replacement Patients Need Honest Objective Advice | 5/28/2019, Knee Replacement Surgery Makes Little Sense | 5/22/2019, Senior Knee Replacement Patients Are Peddling To a Healthier and Longer Life | 5/9/2019, It Is Recommended That Osteoarthritis Patients Try The Mediterranean Diet Before Rushing Into Knee Replacement Surgery | 4/30/2019, DePuy Knee Replacement Doctors May Be Failing To Follow The Written Product Warnings | 4/23/2019, Study Finds Plain Cement As Effective As Antibiotic-loaded in Limiting Knee Replacement Surgeries | 4/16/2019, Several More Lifestyle Changes To Help Alleviate Osteoarthritis Knee Pain | 4/10/2019, Holistic Herbs And Supplements Can Help Reduce Arthritis Knee Pain | 4/1/2019, Cobalt Poisoning From a Hip or Knee Replacement Could Drive One to Suicide | 3/28/2019, Artificial Knee Joint Infections Require Painful and Debilitating Revision Surgery | 3/26/2019, DePuy Knee Replacement Requires Artifical Spacers Packed With Antibiotics | 3/9/2019, Total Knee Replacement Devices May Last But Patients Are Dissatisfied With The Result | 3/5/2019, Stem Cell Recruitment Therapy Offers an Alternative to Knee Replacement Surgery | 3/1/2019, Clinical Trials For Treating Knee Osteoarthritis Are Underway | 2/25/2019, Knee Replacement Patient Dissatisfaction May Be As High as 20% | 2/19/2019, The New and Improved DePuy Revision Knee Replacement Device May Lead to More Bonding Failures and Tibia and Femur Fractures | 2/13/2019, DePuy Knee and Hip Failures Are Similar and Lead to Class Action Lawsuits | 2/8/2019, DePuy Knee Glue Failure Prompts Lawsuits | 2/6/2019, Knee Replacement Failure is Starting To Get The Attention It Deserves | 1/30/2019, Gene Therapy Could Treat Osteoarthritis And Eliminate The Need For Knee Replacement Surgery
Both patients were treated for osteoarthritis with a DePuy ASR (articular surface replacement) XL Acetabular Hip System prosthesis, which contains cobalt and chromium, and which has recently been recalled from the market. Infections are rare after knee replacement surgery, but they can occur. According to Healthline’s analysis of … Knee replacement surgery is the last option available to people suffering from debilitating osteoarthritis and painful knee injuries. 2.3. Possible adverse patient’s reactions to metal debris were investigated by MRI. And the devices may also loosen or develop other problems, causing pain and affecting a person's ability to walk. Had my knee done in 2002, age 59. It happens when there’s friction between metal surfaces. The metals commonly used include cobalt-chromium, titanium, zirconium, and nickel. Blood levels. Doctors in Finland have released a new troubling study on the release of metal debris from knee replacement hardware. Some patients sued. (The Finnish researchers) determined the levels of metal ions in the blood of 22 patients with metal-on-metal hinge total knee arthroplasty. For years the focus following hip replacement surgeries has been on the physical condition of the hip itself. [Pubmed], 2 Guenther D, Thomas P, Kendoff D, Omar M, Gehrke T, Haasper C. Allergic reactions in arthroplasty: myth or serious problem? Symptoms include: … DePuy knee Cobalt poisoning most often affects one's ability to think and remember things and misdiagnosed in senior citizens as Alzheimer's disease. Another Attune knee problem is the device fails earlier than expected. Titanium and titanium alloys used in hip and knee replacements. Another Attune knee problem is the device fails earlier than expected. FINAL DIAGNOSIS. Many metal hip replacements were constructed using a hard metal called cobalt in order to extend the life of the hip replacement. When a person walks with the DePuy knee they are experiencing the metal-on-metal contact of the Cobalt-Chromium alloy. Patch testing continues to be a useful tool as laboratory investigations for metal hypersensitivity continue to emerge. The biggest culprit for toxicity seems to be cobalt-chrome but there is no generally accepted threshold beyond which serum or blood concentrations of cobalt and chromium are known to be toxic8. We, therefore, discourage the use of metal-on-metal hinge knee replacements. Health Problems from Metal Ions: Metal-on-metal hips have raised other concerns, including potential harm from cobalt and chromium ions released into the bloodstream. Longevity depends on many factors including the implant but also on such things how well it is implanted (go to The results clearly show that the metal-on-metal hinge knee replacement carries a high risk of increased levels of systemic metal ions and also local adverse patient reactions to metal debris, leading to complicated knee revisions. Cobalt Toxicity. Some people are concerned about developing an allergic reaction to metal implants. DePuy Attune knee replacement patients report tibial loosening. Had major knee problems from the age of 6. cobalt and chromium) from the metal implant or from the metal particles will enter 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. Attorneys representing DePuy knee cases expect to consult with more patients that have suffered from the complications due to a DePuy knee replacement surgery. This went on for a couple of years. All patients who received revision surgery because of a potential allergic reaction were followed up post revision surgery.”, November 3, 2016: (National Institute of Health) Seven substances added to 14th Report on Carcinogens. CONCLUSION: The allergic patient should be thoroughly informed about potential reactions resulting from implant choice, Cobalt and cobalt compounds that release cobalt ions. 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These are associated with a range of potential health problems including cancer, neurological difficulties and thyroid and heart disease. If you have an allergy, imagine carrying that around in your knee. Although the percentage of patients having allergic reactions related to the use of cobalt-chromium alloys to is very low, one area of concern is the issue of tiny particles (metal ions) that may be released into the body as a result of joint movement. Metal on metal contact of the DePuy knee can cause metal Cobalt shavings that are quickly absorbed into the bloodstream. Infection is a severe complication, and it needs immediate medical attention. High blood metal ion levels in 19 of 22 patients with metal-on-metal hinge knee replacements. How long are titanium cobalt knee replacement suppose to last? It is a very small part of our environment. Within months, she faced effects ranging from memory loss and visual disturbances to severe tinnitus and PTSD-like rage/anxiety attacks. Monday, August 13, 2018 - Cobalt poisoning could result from metal to metal or metal to plastic friction in the DePuy Knee Replacement System. Then with present day technology they do a revision. The friction releases tiny metal particles into your bloodstream that could trigger a hypersensitive immune response in your body. Did it, did the follow up therapy and have been happy ever since. Alpha phase titanium has a hexagonal closed-packed (hcp) crystal structure and exists at room temperature. He had a terrible time. 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Replacement knee and hip joints wear out and produce debris that can enter the bloodstream and make a person very sick Thursday, March 28, 2019 - One of the focuses of the Netflix documentary, The Bleeding Edge, is the negative health consequences of "cobalt poisoning" that occurs in metal on metal artificial joints manufactured by DePuy Synthesis. DISCUSSION. There is little information available concerning the prevalence of and risk factors for these adverse reactions in knee replacements as opposed to the widely studied metal-on-metal hip joint replacements. This can cause serious reactions in patients who undergo total knee replacement surgery because some knee replacements are made of cobalt chrome that contains around 1 percent of nickel. Because no two patients have exactly the same tibial bone size or density, the company has updated the information on its website instructing DePuy doctors to rule out potential patients with insufficient tibial bone strength. 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