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Hip Posthesis

Posted , 9 users are following.

patsy63
patsy63

In 2010 following a fall I was given a dynamic Hip screw .This failed and had a full hip replacement (plastic cup, cobalt chrome head, titanium stem) I became increasingly ill and in pain and a pseudotumour was diagnosed. The head was replaced by ceramic and masses of necrotic tissue and muscle was removed.The head was black ,pitted and corroded. I was told that this was due to Galvanic action between the head and stem creating basically battery acid that caused the damage.Has this affected anyone else?I know I'm not the only person to have suffered with his problem.   

3 likes, 14 replies

14 Replies

  • bini31328
    bini31328 patsy63

    Posted

    Hi Patsy

    No haven't had that issue but it sounds horrendous ! Poor you - how are things now ? Xxxx

  • AnnieK
    AnnieK patsy63

    Posted

    I don't know of anyone with that problem, and so sorry it happened to you? How far out are you from your revision, and how are you doing? Is the muscle that had to be removed negatively affecting your recovery? Hope you are coping well.
  • renee01952
    renee01952 patsy63

    Posted

    hi patsy,

    wow, that is terrible. ...

    would you mind sharing more ? you don't have to, of course. ..

    how are you doing right now?

    warm welcome to this wonderful forum of hippies. ..

    big hug

    Renee 💙

  • Elektron
    Elektron patsy63

    Posted

    I don't know anyone in the US who has this type of hip replacement. Most are all fully titanium with plastic cup or same with ceramiccoated head. So sorry to hear about this. My hubby says a metallurgist could tell you if these metals are compatible in the body. i will try to research it...chemistry background here. I will be posting my own horror story later. Just joined, been following some postsfor a while.
    • renee01952
      renee01952 Elektron

      Posted

      hi elektron (cool name)

      warm welcome to this forum of fellow hippies -

      looking forward to your horror story

      big warm hug

      renee

  • linda38528
    linda38528 patsy63

    Posted

    Oh what a rotten time you have had of it. One bad circumstance after another. Where did this all happen?

    I sure hope you are doing well now.

    Regards

     

  • David06570
    David06570 patsy63

    Posted

    Hi Patsy,

    ​If you arent already, I would be asking some serious questions of those involved and how this was allowed to happen... I know that there has been some recent hip replacement failures due to design issues, but this sounds like something more.

    I hope your new THR is working well.

    ​David.

     

  • patsy63
    patsy63

    Posted

    Hi everyone, Wow thank you for your support. Never done this before so overwhelmed. A bit of history. THR in July2011 and Chromium colbalt head removed in 2014. The head was sent to the London Implant Retreval Center,based at the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore for analysis. It was found to have had the highest level of corrosion and we were told by the Biomedical engineer 'Why would you put 2 reactive metals together?' The Galvanic corrosion process is well known as a problem with prosethis. I'm just trying to get the information out there, as if I had been warned about the possibility, there may not have been so much tissue damage! I'm told that everyone who has a revision had a pueudotumour of some size.Surgeons are revising hips but not sending the pieces for analysis. Jan 2016 had a massive haematoma form and 9 weeks ago the hip dislocated while I was sitting with my feet up on the sofa! Had to have the whole lot taken out and replaced along with more muscle! It seems that the inflammatory response to the corrosion has continued to destroy tissue. Its pretty tough at the moment and I'm not sure as to what mobility I will get back. I have only a third of each muscle group left. However really appreciate your good wishes, Hope your all making good progress, X
    • bini31328
      bini31328 patsy63

      Posted

      Omg Patsy - that all sounds absolutely  horrendous - poor you. I had to have my resurfacing revised to a THR because I had metallic fluid in the joint and muscle wastage - that was metal on metal - although the levels in my blood were luckily not at a dangerously high level. That type of resurfacing implant was recalled last year because they werevall showing signs of problems and one of the makes - depuy- had a manufacturing fault. I still havent decided wether to look into taking things further legally or nor not - at the moment i am just focusing on having a leg that works - i do hope you get everything sorted for yourself satisfactorily xxx
    • linda38528
      linda38528 patsy63

      Posted

      I am quite frankly stunned by this account and all you have been through. It is tough enough to take the decision to have a THR, but my goodness (please insert strongest possible language that does not offend you), I definitely expected higher standards at work than this AND a better system response to these errors once discovered.

      I simply don't know have to offer support .. and comments I can think of seem trite or definitely likely to be censored.

      You must have taken more than a few deep breaths while writing this account and I can only imagine all the terror, anger and fear underpinning this experience.

      I am so sorry that you have been put through this - it all seems so preventable and terrifying that it wasn't. Has there really not been any other response from the oversight bodies? I am with David on this - hard questions need to be asked and pursued vigourously. The toll this must have taken on you and your family and your lives must be horrendous, and (scarily) it cannot be an isolated event. Please keep us in the loop as you decide your way forward.

      With prayers and wishes for a far simpler, healthier and happier future.

      L

    • patsy63
      patsy63 bini31328

      Posted

      Hi Bini, so sorry to hear of your problems and hope your recovering  now. I would cetainly look at taking things further legally. If your in the UK I understand that your type of claim is going as a class action to the High Court in Nov. 2017. If your prosthesis is avalable then it could be anaylised at the London Implant Retrieval Centre. Unfortunately my type of corrosion and faliure of implant is not being looked at by the courts yet. Good luck with everything.X
    • David06570
      David06570 patsy63

      Posted

      Hi Patsy,

      I'm so sorry to read what you have gone through and I hope that you make the best possible recovery from this.

      I'm an engineer and what you have said in your account is what I suspected. Two dissimilar metals reacting together resulting in one corroding. As an engineer we are very careful in what metals we allow to come in to contact with one another. I am quite certain that this is also well documented in the world of hip surgery. I know it will be of little conselation to you just now, however in my opinion, what you are describing is a massive oversight by the consultant who looked after you. Maybe when you are feeling up to it you will want to follow up on it.

      Best wishes to you,

      David.

    • patsy63
      patsy63 David06570

      Posted

      Hi David

      Thank you for your good wishes. Really helps. Yes, details of corrosion is certainly out there, but in the UK all the focus is on the metal on metal hip problems ie. Metal cup and cobalt chromium heads. These are the ones going through the courts now. There is plenty of evidence that these type of implants not only show signs of wear through grinding action but also corrosion at the neck head junction from the reaction from the CC and titanium stem. In fact that I was told that an independent study at Southhampton University, of a M on M head found galvanic corrosion too. 

      Even though my consultant, who is the leading guy into research of hip implants, has said the damage I've sustained is the worst he has seen and even he calls it 'an adverse reaction to metal debris attributed to corrosion...' I cant find any solicitor to take me on. One of the reasons I'm trying to find more people that have had this problem. Difficult when even consultants are not aware of it!

      Hope your doing well.

    • David06570
      David06570 patsy63

      Posted

      Hi Patsy, 

      Thanks for the reply.  It really does sound horrendous and I really hope you manage to get some closure on it. 

      I'm doing well thank you and so far no issues to report.

      David.

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