Polyneuropathy caused by cobalt-chromium metallosis after total hip replacement.
Although metal intoxication after arthroplasty causes various symptoms, polyneuropathy has never been the focus of clinical investigation. We report the case of a 56-year-old woman with metal neuropathy. She had metallosis after hip arthroplasty with a cobalt-chromium alloy prosthesis. She developed progressive sensory disturbance, hearing loss, and hypothyroidism. Sural nerve biopsy indicated axonopathy. After exchange arthroplasty, blood levels of cobalt and chromium decreased, and her symptoms improved. Cobalt or chromium can cause axonopathy.
Ikeda
Tokuhei
T
Department of Neurology and Neurobiology of Aging, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, 13-1 Takara-machi, Kanazawa 920-8640, Japan. tokuhei@med.kanazawa-u.ac.jp
Takahashi
Kazuya
K
Kabata
Tamon
T
Sakagoshi
Daigo
D
Tomita
Katsuro
K
Yamada
Masahito
M
D019644:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip; D002858:Chromium Alloys / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004487:Edema / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000139:chemically induced; D006622:Hip Prosthesis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000139:chemically induced; D008875:Middle Aged; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000502:physiology; D011115:Polyneuropathies / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology*; D012086:Reoperation; D011984:Sensory Receptor Cells / Q000502:physiology; D013497:Sural Nerve / Q000473:pathology; D013960:Thyroid Function Tests
D002858:Chromium Alloys