During the years from 1970-2000—and into the first few years of the 2000’s—hip implant prostheses were largely constructed of ceramic, polyethylene, and metal-on-plastic (the longest tried-and-tested bearing). The femoral stems were generally constructed of a cobalt and chrome alloy, while the concave cup liner was made of polyethylene, a type of plastic. The metal-on-plastic components...

Across the globe, some 10% of men and 18% of women over the age of sixty suffer from moderate to severe forms of osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease in which the cartilage deteriorates, causing injury to the joint and resulting in stiffness, pain and loss of movement as bone rubs against bone.  Aside from age, the most common predictors of osteoarthritis appear to be obesity, physical inactivity, smoking, excess alcohol consumption and injury. Rheumatoid arthritis, in which the joint lining becomes inflamed, is responsible for some hip replacement surgeries as well.

Although hip replacements were once reserved for those over the age of sixty—under the assumption that this group would be less active—therefore  place less stress on their new hip joint—many younger people are undergoing hip replacement surgery in order to increase their overall quality of life. That being said...surgery to replace the hip joint with an artificial joint is generally recommended when the benefits of that surgery are believed to outweigh the risks...

HOUSTON, TX, February 7, 2014—In an ongoing effort to help those who have suffered harm from metal-on-metal hip implants, Andrew Sullo, managing partner of Sullo & Sullo LLP, is pleased to announce the release of a new e-book—What You Must Know About Metal-on-Metal Hips. The e-book will be released in sections on the Sullo & Sullo website over the next quarter; at the completion of the online posting, the e-book will be made available for free download. As...

Metallosis occurs when a foreign object—such as metal ions which are produced by a metal hip implant—enter the tissues of the body. The body reacts by sending special types of white blood cells called macrophages to attack the area and fight the metal ions. While the goal of the body is to trap the metal shards and prevent them spreading to other parts of the body, in this particular case it is somewhat of a lost cause. The body is, of course, unable to remove the metal shards and inflammation, pain, tissue destruction or death and bone loss are the potential results. The longer the metal ions remain in the body, the more potential damage.