New Threat from Recalled DePuy Hip Replacement Systems

by | Jan 11, 2011

A new threat has been identified in the faulty DePuy hip replacement systems which were implanted in more than 3,500 patients in Ireland from 2003 until last year. According to an article published in the American “The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery”, metal on metal devices such as the DePuy ASR hip replacement systems can lead to “Cobaltism” – a condition where minute particles of cobalt get into the bloodstream and travel to other organs of the body, specifically the brain and heart.

The author of the article, Dr. Stephen S. Tower, MD used his own experiences of metal on metal implants to provide the data for the claim and, although acknowledging that a much larger study than his would be required to define the exact prevalence of cobaltism among patients with faulty DePuy hip replacement systems, believes that the potential exists for neurological and cardiovascular issues.

This theory is not unique. Some American experts have also highlighted the negative impact of increased levels of metal ions in the blood on other organs, and have pointed to the well-known story of Erin Brokovich as an extreme example of side effects. In real life and in the film of the same name, Ms Brokovich fought for the residents of Hinkley, California, when they experienced higher levels of cancer due to their water supply being contaminated with very high levels of chromium.

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