Serum Metal Ions with a Titanium Modular Neck Total Hip Replacement System

• Published in: The Journal of arthroplasty Vol. 30; no. 10; pp. 1781 - 1786
• Main Authors: Gofton, Wade, MD, Beaule, Paul E., MD, FRCSC
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.10.2015
• Subjects: Aged; arthroplasty; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip - instrumentation; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip - methods; Chromium - blood; Cobalt - blood; Corrosion; Female; hip; Hip Prosthesis; Humans; Ions; Male; Metals - blood; Middle Aged; modular; Orthopedics; Polyethylene; Prospective Studies; titanium; Titanium - blood; Titanium - chemistry; ions; modular; arthroplasty; titanium; hip
• ISSN: 0883-5403; 1532-8406
• DOI: 10.1016/j.arth.2015.04.040

Abstract The goal of this study is to evaluate serum levels of chromium (Cr), cobalt (Co), and titanium (Ti) within the first two years following total hip arthroplasty using a Ti modular neck system. Twenty-five patients were randomized to a metal-on-metal (MoM) bearing with an all CoCr shell, and the remaining 25 received a metal-on-polyethylene (MoP) with a Ti shell. Serum levels demonstrated increases for Cr, Co, and Ti at 1 year ( P < .001). MoM had similar Ti levels to MoP hips at 1 year ( P = 0.11) but lower at 2 years ( P = 0.03). Results suggest that the passive corrosion (i.e., chemical, pitting, and crevice corrosion) of exposed non-articular metal surfaces may be a greater source of ions than the neck-stem or head-neck interfaces.