The metal on metal design of DePuy's ASR hip replacement system can cause metal toxicity due to chromium and cobalt ions floating around in the blood. Some patients are at a higher risk than others and doctors say that it's important to check chromium and cobalt ion levels in the blood – for anyone who has a DePuy hip replacement.
DePuy Hip Defects: The Importance Of Checking Chromium & Cobalt Ion Levels
So, what about the level of the chromium and cobalt ions floating around in the blood? What if you're a 35 year old pregnant woman; does it cross the placenta? What if you're a woman with a degenerative hip and I had a metal on metal because you're so young and they told you that metal on metal would last forever? According to DePuy hip implant recall attorneys, these are real questions that are being addressed right now.
Here is the answer to some of those questions. The ions of chromium and cobalt do in fact cross the placental barrier and can be found in the fetus, but there is no suggestion that there is a definitive problem with that and the fetus. So, obviously you would take that with a serious concern for placing a metal on metal joint in a woman of childbearing age or fertile woman.
So what about the chromium cobalt ions in you or me? You know, regular folks? Well, a chromium and cobalt ion level that’s elevated can be very significant. How do we know it’s elevated? You check the blood for an analysis of the chromium and cobalt. Is it elevated in me if I don’t hurt? If I have an ASR, do I need to have my chromium and cobalt levels checked? It's an interesting question that’s posed and not merely hypothetical.
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