As an active 55 year old who has had to have two metal-on-metal hip implants replaced just over a year of getting them, I strongly urge anyone who has gotten a metal-on-metal hip implant within the past 5 years to get a very specific blood test which checks their cobalt and chromium levels. These are specialty tests and are sent to 2 or 3 hospitals that have the capabilities for this test, they are not done at your local hospital. Request that your surgeon order this specific test.

what barry didn't touch upon is the fact that the FDA doesn't really regulate or test things like hip joints, which enter the market rather easily when a medical device company makes a claim that they're only making something that's already on the market. there are no large volume clinical trials for these, in the way there are for drugs (not that this makes for an absolutely safe situation). the device companies are held to a pretty low standard.

i'm holding my breath for a family member who's had a titanium hip replacement one year now. the only benchmark i have is knowing someone with a titanium rod in his spine, which, eight years hence, is leaching metal into his system, and provoking his immune system in such a way that they are now going to remove it. not encouraging.

Seven months ago, I had a titanium-coated implant in my left great toe. Soon after surgery I developed a rash and hives. I still have the rash...and my toe is not healing. At this point, I have no choice but to have a new surgery with a silicon-based implant.
Metal allergies are not that uncommon. It seems to me that surgeons should do a metals patch test to check for allergies to the metals in their implants, prior to surgery.

I had my left hip replace at HSS back Feb 2005.I think that my Dr told me he use Titanium on Titanium. How can I be sure about the material they used. I do feel slight pain some time and hear a creaking sound sometimes when I bend (like it needs oiling) but after visiting my Dr. and got x-ray about 2 years after the procedure, he said all is ok. Where do I get more information?

I understand the industry has been pushing back on implementation of establishing a uniform medical device ID system. It seems such a system would help trace devises as well allow for the ability to evaluate effectiveness.

Is Barry aware that the Federal Courts have been throwing out product liability cases because the US Supreme Court has interpreted a federal regulation to pre-empt state court law suits

Oh GREAT!

Are the patients who receive these devices being more active than they should be? Hours of tennis etc...

I had my left hip replace at HSS back Feb 2005.I think that my Dr told me he use Titanium on Titanium. How can I be sure about the material they used. I do feel slight pain some time and hear a creaking sound sometimes when I bend sometimes (like it needs oiling) but after visiting my Dr. he said all is ok

My brother got both hips replace more than 10 years ago, but I don't know what type he got... fortunately no problems that I know about, but what happens to those folks who got the metal-on-metal hips? Will the manufacturer pay for the replacement to the metal-plastic ones?

Titianium was used for my surgery 12-months ago. Nothing was given to me prior to surgery. Is there a blood test to see if medal is in my blood stream?

Is there a blood test for the metallic frags.

Weren't metal-on-metal hips introduced because of lawsuits and complaints about the plastic used in the older model replacement hips?

does it make a difference if a hip replacement joint is made of titanium, as opposed to other metals?

Which metal is being used? Not titanium, right?

I had one done 3 years ago and I have been fine as a friend that had a double hip replacement 4 years ago,and she is also doing well with no problems