Serum Chromium Levels Before and After Revision Surgery for Loosened Metal-On-Metal Total Hip Arthroplasty

• Published in: The Journal of arthroplasty Vol. 24; no. 4; pp. 549 - 553
• Main Authors: Maezawa, Katsuhiko, MD, Nozawa, Masahiko, MD, Matsuda, Keiji, MD, Sugimoto, Munehiko, MD, Shitoto, Katsuo, MD, Kurosawa, Hisashi, MD
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.06.2009
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip - adverse effects; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip - instrumentation; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip - methods; Chromium - blood; Chromium Alloys; Female; Humans; loosening; Male; metal-on-metal total hip arthroplasty; Metals; Middle Aged; Orthopedics; Polyethylene; Prosthesis Failure; Reoperation; revision hip arthroplasty; serum chromium level; metal-on-metal total hip arthroplasty; serum chromium level; revision hip arthroplasty; loosening
• ISSN: 0883-5403; 1532-8406
• DOI: 10.1016/j.arth.2008.02.001

Abstract We investigated the changes of serum chromium levels before and after revision surgery in 10 patients (1 male and 9 females) who underwent exchange of a metal-on-metal articulation for a metal-on-polyethylene component because of aseptic loosening of a metal-on-metal total hip prosthesis. Of the 10 patients, 2 had bilateral metal-on-metal total hip arthroplasty. In the 8 patients who had no residual metal articulation, the mean serum chromium levels before and after revision surgery were 2.53 μ g/L and 0.46 μ g/L, respectively. In the 2 patients who still had a metal articulation on the contralateral side, the mean serum chromium levels before and after revision surgery were 2.85 μ g/L and 1.90 μ g/L, respectively. Moderate serum chromium levels in patients with metal-on-metal total hip arthroplasty show a decrease after removal of the metal-on-metal articulation.