January 06, 2015 - If you have a Stryker Rejuvenate or ABGII metal hip implant, you are probably well aware of the Stryker hip recall issued in July 2012. If you experienced problems with your Stryker device or were forced to undergo Stryker Rejuvenate revision surgery or Stryker ABGII revision surgery, you may already be a part of the Stryker hip settlement program, announced on November 3, 2014. The Stryker hip settlement program offered a base award of $300,000, subject to certain enhancements and deductions, to those who had revision surgery to have their recalled Stryker device removed.
Although Stryker did suspend the normal statutes of limitations for those who may have to have revision surgery in the future, those patients must have a case on file for that suspension to apply. There are still thousands of Stryker patients whose cobalt and chromium numbers are not particularly high right now, however these patients may be wondering what their risk for implant failure or loosening or the risk of developing Stryker hip metallosis, Stryker hip blood poisoning, Stryker hip pseudotumors or Stryker hip infection really are.
What the Numbers Really Mean
While slightly elevated cobalt and chromium metal levels are normal for those with a metal hip implant, excessively elevated levels can be extremely dangerous. The Mayo Clinic released a set of reference values for blood serum testing, which stated blood serum concentrations greater than 1 ng/mL of chromium in the blood suggests significant prosthesis wear. For cobalt, toxic concentrations are those greater than or equal to 5.0 ng/mL . Some manufacturers of metal-on-metal hips place the numbers considerably higher, stating only concentrations greater than 7.0 ng/mL are of concern.
Metal Sensitivity Makes a Difference in How Patients Experience Metal Toxicity
In fact, different patients can experience vastly different Stryker hip side effects, depending on how sensitive the individual patient is to heavy metals. This means a patient with levels lower than 5.0 ng/mL could be very sick, with many symptoms of Stryker hip metallosis or Stryker hip blood poisoning. On the other hand, a patient who is not so sensitive to heavy metals could have blood metal numbers higher than 10.0 ng/mL, with very few overt side effects. Because the blood metal numbers are often stated in different ways, it can be very confusing for patients, so it is helpful to know that 1 ppb (parts per billion) = 1ng/mL = 1 µg/l.
Symptoms of Cobalt and Chromium Blood Poisoning
When the metal parts of the Stryker Rejuvenate or ABGII rub against one another during periods of activity, this is known as Stryker hip corrosion and fretting and can lead to tiny metal ions being released into the bloodstream and in the hip tissues. When the ions bury themselves into the hip tissues, patients may experience inflammation, chronic and increasing levels of pain, degradation and death of tissue and bone, hip implant failure and the necessity of Stryker revision surgery.
The metal ions which reach the bloodstream can cause symptoms of chromium and cobalt blood poisoning such as renal failure, the inability of the body to repair DNA, the development of pseudotumors, fatigue, poor concentration, reproductive disorders, cardiovascular, renal, neurological and gastrointestinal disorders, loss of vision and hearing, atrophy of the muscles, respiratory issues, an increase in specific cancers, short-term nerve impairment, severe dermatitis, depression, anxiety, and irritability.
Some patients may experience symptoms of cobalt and chromium poisoning as soon as three months following implantation of a Stryker hip device. While Stryker has not put a definitive number on the Stryker hip failure rate, it could be as high as forty percent or more. If you have a Stryker hip implant—even if your blood numbers are fine right now—you should definitely speak to an experienced Stryker hip lawyer today.