Published in a 1998 edition of Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery an article titled “Metal Release in Patients Who Have Had a Primary Total Hip Arthroplasty. A Prospective, Controlled, Longitudinal Study” by J.J. Jacobs et al. suggests that “in the long term, total joint replacement may be associated with adverse local and remote tissue responses that are mediated by the degradation products of prosthetic materials.”
This means that with total joint replacement, tiny metal particles may wear off the implanted hip and cause adverse reactions both in the tissue surrounding the implant and in other areas. Once these tiny metal particles enter the blood, they can travel to nearly any part of the body.
The Jacobs et al. (1998) study measured concentrations of metal ions in the blood of 75 people over three years. Of the 75 participants, 55 had used a metal-on-metal hip implant, and 20 people were monitored as controls.
The authors state, “The results of our study showed that, thirty-six months postoperatively, patients who have a well-functioning prosthesis with components containing titanium have as much as a threefold increase in the concentration of titanium in the serum and those who have a well-functioning prosthesis with cobalt-alloy components have as much as a fivefold and an eightfold increase in the concentrations of chromium in the serum and urine, respectively.” (emphasis added)
Suggesting that the most likely source of the increased metal ion blood levels is “the modular head-neck junction and may be a function of the geometry of the coupling,” (emphasis added) this research may be used as evidence in a DePuy ASR hip replacement lawsuit to demonstrate that the manufacturer of these metal-on-metal hips knew, or should have known, the risks associated with their product since at least 1998.
If you or a loved one used a DePuy ASR or DePuy ASRXL hip replacement system and suffered tissue damage, required revision surgery, or other ASR complications, you may be entitled to significant financial compensation through a DePuy ASR hip replacement lawsuit. For a free, no-obligation case consultation, contact our team of DePuy ASR hip replacement lawyers at the information provided below.
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Our DePuy ASR™ / ASR™ XL Hip Replacement Lawsuit Information page is a great place to start if you have any questions about DePuy ASR metal-on-metal hip replacements.