Treatment for cobalt poisoning typically involves chelation therapy, which is a process that removes cobalt from the body.Ĭobalt poisoning from metal to metal or plastic to metal friction could occur in the DePuy knee replacement system. While the amount of cobalt released from a knee replacement is usually low, it can build up in the body over time and cause cobalt poisoning. When these materials are used in a knee replacement, they can release cobalt into the body. This is because some knee replacement materials, such as metal alloys, can contain cobalt. While cobalt poisoning is most often caused by exposure to high levels of cobalt, it is possible to get cobalt poisoning from a knee replacement. In severe cases, cobalt poisoning can lead to heart failure and death. Cobalt poisoning can cause a variety of symptoms, including fatigue, headaches, and difficulty breathing. While most people are not exposed to high levels of cobalt, those who work in certain industries, such as mining and metalworking, may be at risk. "Now that we know it works in animals, our hope is to eventually bring this type of therapy to humans," he says.Cobalt poisoning is a rare but serious condition that can occur when a person is exposed to high levels of cobalt. Laurencin Institute for Regenerative Engineering, who is also both an orthopedic surgeon and a chemical engineer. Cato Laurencin, the chief executive officer of the Cato T. Laurencin Institute and the department of chemistry at Carnegie Mellon University offer a possible breakthrough treatment for metal ion disease after joint replacement," says Dr. "This unique approached developed by teams at The Cato T. And within hours, the BAL-hyaluronic acid cleared a great deal of cobalt into the bloodstream and then the kidneys, so the rats could excrete it. The BAL-hyaluronic acid was then injected into the hip joints of rats with cobalt metallosis. They attached the BAL to hyaluronic acid, a molecule commonly found in fluid that helps lubricate our joints. The researchers used a chelator called British anti-Lewisite (BAL), a treatment originally invented to help soldiers poisoned with arsenic-containing Lewisite during World War II. Now, researchers in the Laurencin lab at UConn Health and Stephanie Sydlik at Carnegie Mellon report in the 30 October issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that injecting a material made of a traditional chelator combined with a molecule naturally found in the fluid surrounding the joints makes an effective, less invasive therapy to clear out cobalt. And traditional chelation therapy, in which a drug binds the heavy metal and allows the body to excrete it, has a difficult time penetrating into the joints and surrounding tissues. Removing the implants seems like the obvious solution, but revision joint surgery is invasive and has its risks. Even if the metal stays localized it can cause bone deterioration along with pain. This type of localized heavy metal irritation is called metallosis. And after several years of wear and tear on the implant, metal particles can build up in the area surrounding the joint, causing pain, inflammation, and dark discoloration. However, cobalt (and other metals) can be toxic if they accumulate in body tissues at high levels. Cobalt-based alloys such as cobalt-chromium-molybdenum are widely used for these implants because of their strength and durability. Globally, more than 2.9 million joint replacements are done every year, with the majority of them in the hip or knee.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |