Metal presence in hair after metal-on-metal resurfacing arthroplasty

Abstract

The elevation of metal levels in serum and urine during post-operative follow-up is a frequent find following the implantation of certain models of metal-on-metal hip prostheses. Among 45 patients with the same resurfacing prostheses, chromium (Cr) and cobalt (Co) levels in serum and urine were determined at 3, 4, 5, and 6 years after surgery. In the same period, levels of Cr, Co and molibdene (Mo) in scalp hair were also measured. Mean Cr and Co levels in serum were 8.29 μg/L (SD 17.97) and 8.38 μg/L (SD 21.97), respectively, whereas in urine levels were 16.20 μg/L (SD SD 32.55) and 75.40 μg/L (SD 190.86), respectively. In hair, mean Cr level were 163.27 μg/g (SD 300.62), mean Co level 61.98 μg/g (SD 126.48), and Mo 31.36 μg/g (SD 37.86). A high concordance was observed between chromium-urine and chromium-serum and between cobalt-urine and cobalt-hair. A moderate concordance was present between cobalt-urine and cobalt-serum, and between cobalt-hair and cobalt-serum. Eleven patients required revision surgery, five of them due to metallosis and periarticular cyst. At 1 year after reintervention, analytics were performed again and the following decrease rates were found: 42.8% in Cr levels, 51.1% in Mo levels, and 90.3% in Co levels. © 2013 Orthopaedic Research Society.