I just emailed my local ortho doctor, asking for an appt. for my right hip. It is killing me. In a laying position, I can only lift it about 6" and with a great deal of pain, I can squat, with pain, and the whole area feels inflamed. It's a 12 y.o. metal on metal hip with a life expectancy of 10 years.
The Arthritis Foundation is the largest nonprofit organization dedicated to the prevention, control and cure of America's leading cause of disability.
blog.arthritis.org
Artificial hips generally last 10 to 15 years, but metal-on-metal (MoM) implants have a much shorter lifespan –
failing after five years in some patients. They're also linked to a growing list of other problems, including bone and tissue destruction and high levels of metal ions in the blood.
A metal-on-metal hip implant consists of a ball and cup made of a cobalt and chromium alloy. Originally developed as a more durable alternative to implants with ceramic or polyethylene (plastic) components, MoM implants proved to be the opposite. In general, they have a
much higher failure rate than implants made of other materials.
and I can't help but wonder if the grit I am feeling in my eyes is this:
(Dissolved metals have the ability to travel through the bloodstream and cross cell membranes.) The researchers say theirs is the first study to look at metal debris in multiple areas, and it shows that MoM wear generates “vast amounts” of metallic particles.