News
Tom Joyce calls for caution with large head metal-on-metal hips
A leading engineer and expert in biomedical tribology has called on surgeons to stop performing hip replacements using large head metal-on-metal total implants as fears were once again raised about their safety.
Thomas Joyce, reader in biotribology at Newcastle University and a fellow of the IMechE, told PE he was frustrated about the slow pace of action over such hip replacements. One manufacturer, De Puy, was forced to recall a design in 2010.
Joyce said there was growing evidence that all large head metal-on-metal hip total replacements with diameters of 36mm or more could cause severe health problems for patients. His comments came as the MHRA, the government agency responsible for ensuring that medical devices work, announced it was changing the clinical advice on metal-on-metal hip replacements to make sure they were monitored once a year for the life of the device, instead of for just five years after the operation.
Joyce said the MHRA was acting too slowly and further measures were needed. “Why can't we just recognise there's a problem and stop for now? We need a better understanding of this problem and it is better to stop the implants.”
Full article in Professional Engineer.
Last modified: Fri, 02 Mar 2012 15:54:31 GMT