Detailed insight into chromium species released from failed CoCrMo implants: Ex vivo periprosthetic tissues study

Abstract

This unique study provides information on Cr species and their distribution in periprosthetic tissues of patients with metal-on-polyethylene joint implants. Co-Cr-Mo alloy has been widely used in joint replacement and represents a source of metal derived species. In the case of chromium, previous studies on periprosthetic tissues revealed mainly Cr(III) distribution, whereas the potential release of carcinogenic Cr(VI) species has been still a subject of debate. Here, an analytical approach utilizing speciation and fractionation was developed to analyze periprosthetic tissue samples collected from wide range of patients with failed total hip or knee replacements. The results reveal that Cr(III) is mainly released in the form of insoluble CrPO 4 and Cr 2 O 3 particles. The highest Cr contents were found in periprosthetic tissues of patients suffering from aseptic loosening and having more Cr-based implants in the body. Cr species penetrated tissue layers, but their levels decreased with the distance from an implant. The detailed speciation/fractionation study carried out using the set of consecutive periprosthetic tissues of a patient with extensive metallosis showed the presence of trace amounts of free Cr(III), nanoparticles, and metal-protein complexes, but the majority of Cr still occurred in CrPO 4 form. Carcinogenic Cr(VI) species were not detected. Up to date, there is no published human tissue study focused on the detailed speciation of both soluble and insoluble Cr-based species in the context of failing total hip and knee replacements.

Atomic spectrometry update: review of advances in the analysis of clinical and biological materials, foods and beverages

“…One paper of interest used different analytical approaches to study soluble and insoluble Cr species in periprosthetic tissues from 13 patients with failed Co/Cr/Mo implants. 205 Soluble Cr was extracted, using an alkaline EDTA solution, from homogenised tissue that had been spiked with Cr III to account for any experimental interconversion of Cr III to Cr VI . The supernatant was filtered (3 KDa) to remove NPs and protein complexes.…”

Atomic spectrometry update: review of advances in elemental speciation

“…Pechancova et al have reported on a detailed study of Cr species released from failed hip or knee CoCrMo implants, by a number of techniques including HPLC-ICP-MS and blue native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (BN-PAGE). 73 Sample preparation involved adding isotopically enriched spike of 53 Cr III (0.5 μg g −1 ) and 10 mmol L −1 EDTA solution (pH 10.5) to 80 mg of homogenised periprosthetic tissue and shaking for 60 min. After centrifugation, the supernatant was heated (70 °C, 90 min), and filtered (0.20 μm PTFE).…”

The Year 2022 in biomaterials research: A perspective from the editors of six leading journals

“…Studies of the interplay of degradation products in orthopedic alloys and the body were also a focus. Ongoing concerns related to CoCrMo alloys and the corrosion and wear products were evaluated [87][88][89] including fretting corrosion of modular taper junctions, 90 the effects of chromium degradation products, 90 mixed metal degradation products 89 and crevice corrosion of orthopedic alloys. 87 Three-dimensional printing of soft biomaterials, biomaterial-celldrug combinations and 3D printing of hard biomaterials have all seen increased attention in the past year.…”