Postmortem retrieval of total joint replacement components.
Improved understanding of the clinical outcomes of orthopedic implants requires the study of implants at the end of their service life. Previous studies focused on the retrieval of so-called failed implants during surgical revision. Interest is now moving to the study of successful implants, which are those still in place at the patient's death. A procedure was developed for recruitment of implant patients and their families and for safe and effective device and tissue retrieval after death. More than 50 retrievals were performed to support various research efforts.
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois 60612, USA. jacobs@ortho4.pro.rpslmc.edu
J J
JJ
Jacobs
L M
LM
Patterson
A K
AK
Skipor
D J
DJ
Hall
R M
RM
Urban
J
J
Black
J O
JO
Galante
D019643:Arthroplasty, Replacement; D001344:Autopsy; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D006801:Humans; D008670:Metals
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D008670:Metals