Consumer advocacy group The US Drug Watchdog has issued a press release urging anyone who has received a DePuy Pinnacle all-metal hip implant to contact them to help assess whether they need revision surgery based on MRI results.
Background
Metal-on-metal hip implants like the DePuy Pinnacle implant have been fingered for causing small particles of cobalt and chromium to be released in the body. It’s pretty old news now that these metal particles can cause inflammation in the tissue and can lead to hip implant failure. In a study referenced in Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery, researchers were able to identify this inflammation in 68% of patients who experienced no symptoms at all and 75% in patients who reported pain.
The study related to all metal hip implants reported in Science Daily in May of 2013 and indicated that an MRI scan is important for those who have a all metal hip implant, even if they are not experiencing pain or other problematic symptoms. The MRI detects tissue damage, which frequently occurs before symptoms present themselves.
So, the US Drug Watchdog would like recipients of DePuy Pinnacle all-metal (aka metal-on-metal) knees to call its toll-free number 866-714-6466 as soon as possible to explain how recipients of this type of hip implant, which have been discontinued due to high failure rates, may be able to find out if they will need a revision surgery based on MRI results.
Company comments
The Drug Watchdog says, “A study published in the Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery found that Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) can help identify whether a all metal hip implant will need to be replaced based on the amount of tissue damage. MRIs are used to get a closer, in-depth look of tissue in the body. MRIs are painless and provide a much more detailed look at soft body tissue. The inflammation on the joint linings caused by metal-on-metal hip implants can be seen in MRIs, which can tell doctors whether or not a hip implant is going to fail.”
“Most patients wait until pain is severe or until symptoms are uncomfortable to visit their doctors. They end up needing a revision and may have a more complicated revision as a result of the tissue damage that has already occurred.”
Full release here.
Source: US Drug Watchdog, PR Newswire