Dartmouth Graduate Student Seeks Better Hip Implant Design

While his classmates are focusing on albeit interesting projects, they likely won’t be useful in the real world anytime soon. Vincelli decided to tackle the issue with metal-on-metal hip implants, especially the process of revision surgeries that are so often needed to repair problems. These metal hip implants are prone to eroding and flaking dangerous meals into the bloodstream.

Vincelli wants to be able to quantify wear on metal-on-metal hip implants so that doctors can easily tell if a patient is at risk of toxic poisoning. His research involves getting used and faulty hip implants so that a visual analysis can be taken. A measuring machine allows Vincelli to create a 3D cloud image of the implant, and a special script that Vincelli and his colleagues created can identify the original wear and tear area of the implant. This lets them pinpoint exactly where the hip implant trouble started and exactly how severe it is.

Metal Hip Implants Go High Tech

This skilled student then compares the data to the specifications of brand new metal-on-metal hip implants to see if there are any weak points that go unnoticed with the naked eye.

According to Vincelli, the purpose of his research is to better understand how hip implants function and hopefully design better hip replacement systems in the future. He regularly talks with orthopedic surgeons and plans to at least be part of designing better hip implants once his research is complete.

This collaborative approach is just what’s needed, considering how many metal hip implant recipients are injured, poisoned and face staggering medical bills each year. There’s a reason metal-on-metal hip implant lawsuits number in the thousands.

Bio-medical engineering has always been the most interesting sector for Vincelli, and he’s happy to be working on a project that can positively impact so many people. He points to his peers, faculty and staff as being great sources of support and says he knows he can always bounce ideas off of many intelligent people around him.

The Real Implications

People respond differently to metal poisoning, and some people have no symptoms at all. A hip implant surgery is already painful enough without adding the risk of poisoning into the mix. When a hip implant fails, it’s ultimately the patient who stands to lose everything. Time and money are both lost, and sometimes the metallosis can even be fatal.

It can be difficult for patients to understand the difference between the normal healing process post-hip implant surgery and symptoms of metal poisoning or erosion. Sometimes their doctors will say all is fine since special tests are required to check for poisoning. This can be lethal.

Did You Have Hip Replacement Surgery?

Did you receive a hip implant that caused painful side effects? Were you diagnosed with metal poisoning? If this happened to you, you might have a metal hip implant legal claim.

Discover more today at the Stryker, DePuy, Biomet, Wright Medical Technology & Others, Metal-on-Metal Hip Implant Class Action Lawsuit Investigation. While there, submit your information for a free legal review. A skilled hip implant attorney will be in touch if you qualify for a free metal hip implant lawsuit review.