High Incidence of Mechanically Assisted Crevice Corrosion at 10 Years in Non-Cemented, Non-Recalled, Contemporary Total Hip Arthroplasties. 2022

Brian J McGrory
Tufts University School of Medicine, Maine Medical Center, Portland, Maine.

One percent to 3% of contemporary non-cemented total hip arthroplasties (THAs) present with symptomatic mechanically assisted crevice corrosion (MACC). The incidence of this problem, however, as well as the rate of asymptomatic elevations in serum cobalt, is unknown. Cobalt and chromium levels were obtained in conjunction with radiographs at routine 10-year surveillance follow-up of THAs from a single manufacturer with a titanium stem, cobalt alloy femoral head, and cross-linked polyethylene countersurface. Ten-year follow-up of patients with 162 consecutive THAs revealed that 17 patients with 18 hips had died of unrelated causes prior to metal ion testing. Two hips were revised for other reasons, and of the remaining 142 hips, 33 were in patients who were lost, leaving 109 hips (77% of those in alive patients and unrevised for other reasons and 67% of the entire cohort) for investigation. Sixty-three patients (58%) had a serum cobalt less than 1 ppb, and 35 (32%) a cobalt of ≥1 ppb, a cutoff consistent with MACC. Of the 32 hips with definite MACC, 15 of 32 (47%) patients were symptomatic, 16 of 30 (53%) patients had adverse local tissue reaction on magnetic resonance imaging, and 19 of 32 (59%) patients have undergone revision surgery for MACC to date. At 10-year follow-up, a minimum of 22% (35/162) of hips had a cobalt level more than 1 ppb, consistent with MACC. Symptoms and adverse local tissue reactions are each present about one-half of the time, and 59% of those with documented MACC have undergone revision.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D011474 Prosthesis Design The plan and delineation of prostheses in general or a specific prosthesis. Design, Prosthesis,Designs, Prosthesis,Prosthesis Designs
D011475 Prosthesis Failure Malfunction of implantation shunts, valves, etc., and prosthesis loosening, migration, and breaking. Prosthesis Loosening,Prosthesis Durability,Prosthesis Migration,Prosthesis Survival,Durabilities, Prosthesis,Durability, Prosthesis,Failure, Prosthesis,Failures, Prosthesis,Loosening, Prosthesis,Loosenings, Prosthesis,Migration, Prosthesis,Migrations, Prosthesis,Prosthesis Durabilities,Prosthesis Failures,Prosthesis Loosenings,Prosthesis Migrations,Prosthesis Survivals,Survival, Prosthesis,Survivals, Prosthesis
D012086 Reoperation A repeat operation for the same condition in the same patient due to disease progression or recurrence, or as followup to failed previous surgery. Revision, Joint,Revision, Surgical,Surgery, Repeat,Surgical Revision,Repeat Surgery,Revision Surgery,Joint Revision,Revision Surgeries,Surgery, Revision
D002857 Chromium A trace element that plays a role in glucose metabolism. It has the atomic symbol Cr, atomic number 24, and atomic weight 52. According to the Fourth Annual Report on Carcinogens (NTP85-002,1985), chromium and some of its compounds have been listed as known carcinogens.
D003035 Cobalt A trace element that is a component of vitamin B12. It has the atomic symbol Co, atomic number 27, and atomic weight 58.93. It is used in nuclear weapons, alloys, and pigments. Deficiency in animals leads to anemia; its excess in humans can lead to erythrocytosis. Cobalt-59,Cobalt 59
D003343 Corrosion The gradual destruction of a metal or alloy due to oxidation or action of a chemical agent. (From McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 6th ed) Corrosions
D006622 Hip Prosthesis Replacement for a hip joint. Femoral Head Prosthesis,Femoral Head Prostheses,Hip Prostheses,Prostheses, Femoral Head,Prostheses, Hip,Prosthesis, Femoral Head,Prosthesis, Hip
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D015994 Incidence The number of new cases of a given disease during a given period in a specified population. It also is used for the rate at which new events occur in a defined population. It is differentiated from PREVALENCE, which refers to all cases in the population at a given time. Attack Rate,Cumulative Incidence,Incidence Proportion,Incidence Rate,Person-time Rate,Secondary Attack Rate,Attack Rate, Secondary,Attack Rates,Cumulative Incidences,Incidence Proportions,Incidence Rates,Incidence, Cumulative,Incidences,Person time Rate,Person-time Rates,Proportion, Incidence,Rate, Attack,Rate, Incidence,Rate, Person-time,Rate, Secondary Attack,Secondary Attack Rates
D019644 Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip Replacement of the hip joint. Hip Prosthesis Implantation,Hip Replacement, Total,Total Hip Arthroplasty,Arthroplasties, Hip Replacement,Arthroplasties, Replacement, Hip,Arthroplasty, Hip Replacement,Hip Replacement Arthroplasties,Hip Replacement Arthroplasty,Replacement Arthroplasties, Hip,Replacement Arthroplasty, Hip,Replacement, Total Hip,Total Hip Replacement,Arthroplasty, Total Hip,Hip Arthroplasty, Total,Hip Prosthesis Implantations,Implantation, Hip Prosthesis,Prosthesis Implantation, Hip,Total Hip Arthroplasties,Total Hip Replacements

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