Histochemical and histophysical detection of wear products resulting from prostheses

The authors determined the wear products in tissues following hip prostheses implantations in 40 cases. The interval between prostheses implantation and histochemical examinations varied from 3 weeks to 15 years. The authors found that on the inner layer of the neighbouring joint capsule immediate to the implant a metal-protein layer developed and cobalt, chrom, nickel particles were demonstrated later in the connective and scar tissues as well. In the connective and fat tissues around the hip prostheses (from 4 cm) cobalt and chrom, in the regional lymph nodes cobalt, chrom nickel and in some cases manganese particles were found. Bone cement and plastic materials were found in the joint capsule, in the bone marrow of the distal part of the femur, but they were not present in the lymph nodes.