According to new medical research, metal-on-metal hip replacements may corrode faster than traditional types of artificial hip implants, such as those made from plastic or ceramic.
Experts speculate that the corrosion may be linked to an increased risk of local tissue reactions that require revision or removal of the artificial hip implant.
Researchers examined corrosion on the heads of metal-on-metal hip implants, and compared it to the corrosion found on metal-on-polyethylene implants, which have a plastic liner between the metal femoral head and metal acetabular cup. This study is published in the Journal of Arthroplasty,