Long-term Effects of Cobalt and Chromium from the Stryker Rejuvenate Hip

Following the Stryker hip recall in July, 2012, many people became aware of the issues surrounding cobalt and chromium poisoning and Stryker hip metallosis, resulting from the metal hip implants. When the metal hip devices undergo corrosion and fretting, metal ions are released into the body. When those metal ions lodge in nearby hip tissues, the patient can suffer inflammation, pain in the groin, thigh or hip, destruction of hip tissue and bone, hip implant failure and the necessity of implant revision surgery. When the tiny metal shards enter the bloodstream, cobalt and chromium toxicity can occur.

Most metal implants are constructed of cobalt and chromium because of the extreme hardness of the metals. Some implant devices—such as the Stryker Rejuvenate—will implement a titanium stem, which can actually cause further problems due to mismatched metals. Some patients who are particularly sensitive to the effects of heavy metals can see serious adverse health problems at relatively low levels of exposure, while others can test extremely high levels of cobalt and chromium, yet remain relatively asymptomatic. Cobalt and chromium toxicity have many of the same symptoms, including:

·         Fatigue and poor concentration

·         Renal Failure

·         Reproductive disorders

·         The inability of the body to repair DNA

·         The development of pseudo-tumors

Additionally, cobalt exposure can lead to:

·         Cardiovascular issues such as fatal cardiomyopathy and myocardial injury as well as changes in echocardiogram readings

·         Neurological issues including hearing loss, tinnitus, atrophy of the optic nerves, visual impairment, vertigo, chronic headaches, decline of cognitive functions, depression, anxiety and irritability

·         Muscle atrophy

·         Seizures, convulsions and tremors

·         An increase in certain cancers

Chromium exposure can lead to:

·         Respiratory issues including shortness of breath and asthma

·         Hearing loss and vision impairment

·         Sperm abnormalities, decreased sperm

·         The formation of soft tissue nodules and necrosis

·         Short-term nerve impairment

·         Severe dermatitis and other skin conditions

In some cases, symptoms of chromium poisoning can appear as soon as three months following the implantation of the Stryker Rejuvenate hip implant device.  Chromium ions which enter the bloodstream are directed to the liver and kidneys where the body will work hard to excrete the heavy metal. Unfortunately, an oxidative reaction can impair the organs from purifying the blood as intended. While cobalt poisoning tends to receive greater amounts of attention, chromium poisoning can be equally dangerous. Following cobalt exposure, about 70% of the metal is excreted from the body within one week, however in the case of a Stryker Rejuvenate hip implant, the exposure keeps coming, day after day.  This means that even when the Rejuvenate is removed during revision surgery, it can take the body a significant length of time to rid itself of the heavy metals, and, in some cases, the damage done may not be reversible.