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Updated: Jun 12, 2026

Potentiodynamic Corrosion Testing
Published on: September 4, 2016
Polyneuropathy caused by cobalt-chromium metallosis after total hip replacement
Tokuhei Ikeda1, Kazuya Takahashi, Tamon Kabata
1Department of Neurology and Neurobiology of Aging, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, 13-1 Takara-machi, Kanazawa 920-8640, Japan. tokuhei@med.kanazawa-u.ac.jp
Abstract:
Although metal intoxication after arthroplasty causes various symptoms, polyneuropathy has never been the focus of clinical investigation. We report the case of a 56-year-old woman with metal neuropathy. She had metallosis after hip arthroplasty with a cobalt-chromium alloy prosthesis. She developed progressive sensory disturbance, hearing loss, and hypothyroidism. Sural nerve biopsy indicated axonopathy. After exchange arthroplasty, blood levels of cobalt and chromium decreased, and her symptoms improved. Cobalt or chromium can cause axonopathy.
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