NEW METAL-ON-METAL HIP RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE UK (Orthopedics This Week)
Patient alerts - click here.
United Kingdom's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) issued an alert on June 29, 2017 to healthcare professionals with updated recommendations for long-term follow-up for patients with metal-on-metal (MoM) hip replacements.
Five years ago, MHRA recommended annual screening involving blood tests and imaging for all patients with MoM replacements that showed symptoms of tissue reaction to the implant and for all patients, regardless of symptoms, that had larger or DePuy ASR implants. For asymptomatic patients with other types of implants, MHRA said the decision on follow-up screening should be made "according to local protocols."
More Screenings
Now MHRA says more patients should be screened annually, extending its recommendation to all female patients that have had hip resurfacing, male patients with a femoral head implant diameter ≤48mm and all patients with large size stemmed total hip replacement.
According to the agency, recent reports have added to the evidence that wear on these devices can cause soft tissue reaction, even in asymptomatic patients.
Rec...
