Dementia alert over hip implants

DOCTORS are being urged to check for dementia or heart disease among tens of thousands of hip-implant patients.

There are fears that devices with a metal ball-and-socket joint can leak toxic chemicals into the blood, causing serious health complications.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said last month that patients would be called in for X-rays and blood tests to check for problems with muscle, bone and the nervous system. Now it says it is also watching out for possible links to heart attacks and dementia.

Dr Neil McGuire, clinical director of medical devices, said he wanted to see whether cobalt in the implants caused any adverse effects. He added: ‘It may turn out that we’re chasing smoke, it may not. If we do find something, we’re not going to keep quiet about it.’