UK study highlights heart disease risk from older types of hip replacement

Patients who have had older types of hip replacement may be at greater risk of heart damage than previously thought, researchers have said, because of cobalt leaching out of so-called metal-on-metal implants.

Tens of thousands of UK patients were fitted with these devices during the 2000s, when they were marketed as a solution for young, active patients who needed a hip replacement that would last a lifetime.

The issue is that tiny metal ions made up of cobalt and chromium are thought to break off from the implants and leak into the blood, and there are fears this could cause muscle, bone and organ damage.

Surgeons began to voice concerns about the implants in 2008, and in 2012 the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) issued guidance recommending annual blood or MRI checks for patients who had received them. Since then, mounting evidence has suggested that such individuals may be at greater risk of heart disease.

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Source: The Guardian, 26 April 2023