Recall over ‘debris’ getting into blood

What people with a metal on metal hip replacement need to know...

For people with metal on metal hip replacements there’s now a concern that tiny bits of metal “debris” have been eroded from the devices and entered the blood stream.

Thousands of people who have them are to be invited back to hospital for tests, including X-rays and questionnaires, owing to toxicity fears. Previously, only people with “large head” versions of the implants were thought to require additional check-ups.

But now there are plans to follow up with all 56,000 people in the UK who have had metal on metal implants, including those who had them fitted years ago with no apparent ill effects.

The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency issued the advice after its experts established that soft tissue damage can occur even in patients who are showing no symptoms of it. The idea, it said, was to identify patients who are experiencing complications as early as possible.