Systemic release of cobalt and chromium after uncemented total hip replacement.
We measured the levels of cobalt and chromium in the serum in three groups of patients after uncemented porous-coated arthroplasty. Group 1 consisted of 14 consecutive patients undergoing revision for aseptic loosening. Group 2 comprised 14 matched patients in whom the arthroplasty was stable and group 3 was 14 similarly matched patients with arthritis awaiting hip replacement. Specimens were analysed using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Aseptic loosening of a component resulted in a significant elevation of serum cobalt (p < 0.05), but not of serum chromium. The relative risk of a component being loose, if the patient had a serum cobalt greater than 9.0 nmol/l, was 2.8.
Freeman Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne and Southampton General Hospital, England.
D N
DN
Kreibich
C G
CG
Moran
H T
HT
Delves
T D
TD
Owen
I M
IM
Pinder
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002484:Cementation; D002857:Chromium / Q000097:blood*; D003035:Cobalt / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006622:Hip Prosthesis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011475:Prosthesis Failure; D012086:Reoperation; D013054:Spectrophotometry, Atomic
D002857:Chromium; D003035:Cobalt