Metal Hip Replacement

However some metal on metal implants can fail increasing the amount of wear and producing small amounts of debris.

Metal hip replacement.

Metal on metal hip replacements have been done for many years but became more popular over this past decade. This artificial joint prosthesis helps reduce pain and improve function. Hip replacement surgery is a procedure in which a doctor surgically removes a painful hip joint with arthritis and replaces it with an artificial joint often made from metal and plastic components. There are two fda approved metal on metal hip resurfacing devices available.

One leading theory claims the constant abrasion of the metal hip implant components causes minuscule cobalt chromium cocr particles to rub off and build up in the patient s body. But compared with other hip replacements some metal on metal hip devices have been found to wear down more quickly in some patients. Most people who have a metal on metal mom implant have well functioning hips and are thought to be at low risk of developing any serious problems. Sometimes a device can fracture opening up internal metal parts that hadn t been exposed to the body before.

Metal on metal implants use a similar design to standard hip replacements but the surfaces of both the ball and the socket are made of metal. During hip replacement a surgeon removes the damaged sections of your hip joint and replaces them with parts usually constructed of metal ceramic and very hard plastic. When they work well metal on metal hip resurfacing and total hip replacements give years of trouble free use with very low levels of wear. Metal on metal mom hip implants have unique risks in addition to the general risks of all hip implants.

The exact cause of allergic reactions and metal poisoning in metal on metal hip replacements is debated among medical professionals. All artificial hip implants carry risks including wear of the component material. Reports of patient reactions to these ions have spurred the fda to order the 21 makers of these devices to perform new. Some devices are ceramic on metal which has significantly lowered the prevalence of this condition but still presents with some cases.