Chromium Level of Salvaged Blood in Patients Undergoing Revision Hip Arthroplasty

• Published in: Journal of orthopaedic surgery (Hong Kong) 2013-08, Vol.21 (2), p.195-198
• Main Authors: Maezawa, Katsuhiko, Yuasa, Takahito, Aritomi, Kentaro, Ogawa, Seiki, Maruyama, Yuichiro, Nozawa, Masahiko, Kaneko, Kazuo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip - adverse effects; Biocompatible Materials; Blood transfusions; Chromium - blood; Female; Hip joint; Humans; Joint surgery; Male; Metals; Middle Aged; Operative Blood Salvage; Patients; Prostheses; Prosthesis Failure; Reoperation; Titanium alloys
• ISSN: 1022-5536; 2309-4990
• DOI: 10.1177/230949901302100216

Purpose. To evaluate the chromium level of the salvaged blood in patients undergoing revision total hip arthroplasty (THA). Methods. Records of 7 women and one man aged 54 to 83 (mean, 64.3) years who underwent revision THA for aseptic loosening of the acetabular component (n=6), osteolysis of the acetabulum (n=1), or migration of the outer head (n=1) were reviewed, as were 2 controls who underwent primary THA. The initial THA entailed a metal-on-metal prosthesis (n=4), a metal-on-polyethylene prosthesis (n=3), and a bipolar head prosthesis (n=1). Chromium levels in the preoperative peripheral blood and intraoperative salvaged blood were measured using atomic absorption analysis. Results. For controls and the patient with a bipolar head prosthesis, the mean chromium level in salvaged blood was 0.4 (range, 0.2–0.6) μg/l, which was significantly lower than that in the remaining 7 patients undergoing revision THA (mean, 5.6 μg/l; range, 1.2–9.8 μg/l). Conclusion. Salvaged blood of patients with a metal-on-metal prosthesis undergoing revision THA contained higher levels of chromium.