The history of metal on metal hip implants has been pocked with patient problems. Many people who have been implanted with metal hip prosthetic components—including a femoral stem, metal femoral head and directly articulating metal acetabular lining—have needed early hip revision surgery.

Hip revision surgery is riskier than the initial hip replacement and involves removing the failing prosthetic and replacing it with a more suitable ceramic on metal option without the risks associated with metal on metal hip implants.

Metallosis and Metal Hip Implants

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), it’s important to note that all hip prosthetics are subject to certain potential problems such as joint infection or dislocation, bone loss or fracture, and device breakage or loosening.

The history of metal on metal hip implants in particular points to an issue of grave concern: corrosion. In a corrosive state the metal of the femoral head and the metal of the acetabular liner can shed debris under the stress of anatomical movement.

The debris establishes itself in nearby tissues where as an invading foreign body it can trigger an immune system response known as metallosis. This response generally leads to localized inflammation and pain. Over time, the debris can produce non-cancerous pseudotumors which are collections of fluid and contribute to necrosis—a type of injury to cells which lead to tissue death.

Needless to say, the more tissue dies in the area, the more likely the prosthetic is to become loose and fail.

Although the history of metal on metal hip implants is filled with incidents of failure among both sexes, there is a slight gender imbalance when it comes to the percentage of reported metallosis. Evidently because of skeletal structure and in some cases additional weight, women of slight build or that are obese have more problems.

The metal debris can also leach into the bloodstream over time and produce more systemic symptomology including confusion, overall malaise, emotional disequilibrium, headaches, dizziness, random issues with the nervous system affecting the extremities such as sensations of tingling or numbness—like when a limb falls asleep—or a burning feeling. Also common are gastrointestinal responses and opportunistic infections.

The FDA has also added to this list of symptoms such things as changes in visual acuity or auditory capacity, skin rashes—which might point to necrosis, a type of heart disease known as cardiomyopathy in which the muscle of the heart becomes rigid, thick and enlarged.

Finally, the FDA indicates that metallosis can produce problems with the kidneys and thyroid function. Thyroid malfunction is often experienced as overwhelming sensation of being cold along with unexplained fatigue and weight fluctuation. These symptoms may or may not be accompanied by neck pain.

If you have been forced to have your metal on metal hip implant replaced in a hip revision surgery due to symptoms of metallosis and generalized loosening of the prosthetic, you may have a legal claim.