Nickel allergy and knee replacement

[ChickenLittle]

I have a contact nickel allergy. Everything I have read seems to indicate that contact nickel allergy rarely causes problems with knee implants. Statistics show less than 0.6 likelyhood.

This allergy is rarely addressed. It is the most common allergy with more than 10% of the general population reacting to niclkel.

My allergist has only seen 1 person in 12 years that had any problems and he couldn't be sure it was knee related. He said he I didn't have a snowballs chance in "you know where" of having problems.

There seem to be only 1 ceramic knee prothesis and it doesn't have a good track record.

I need your thouhts and experiecens.

 

[Cindy Johnson]

My husband had a total knee replacement December 2005, in October 2006 they had to replace the shim (what we call the hockey puck) since his tendons and muschles stretched out. His knee was totally poping out of joint. He has had nothing but problems since the initial sugery and worse since the Oct. surgery. Now the dr. is says he is having an alleric reaction to the knickle alloy in the metal. As you stated, this happens to less than 1% likelyhood, and it's in females. Evidentally they can't test for allergic reaction because the amount of nickle in the prothesis is so minute it won't show up in allergy tests. Now they want to do another surgery and go with a ceramic prothesis. I am trying to find more information on them.

Good Luck

I have a contact nickel allergy. Everything I have read seems to indicate that contact nickel allergy rarely causes problems with knee implants. Statistics show less than 0.6 likelyhood.

This allergy is rarely addressed. It is the most common allergy with more than 10% of the general population reacting to niclkel.

My allergist has only seen 1 person in 12 years that had any problems and he couldn't be sure it was knee related. He said he I didn't have a snowballs chance in "you know where" of having problems.

There seem to be only 1 ceramic knee prothesis and it doesn't have a good track record.

I need your thouhts and experiecens.

 

[ChickenLittle]

I had TKA on Dec 18. Zimmer has just released a new "nickel free implant". I understand it is coated with some kind of zirconium titantium coating. I just so hope that I don't have any of those "not rare but unusual complications". I seems to always be the 1 in a 1,000,000.

I do know that the Zimmer Nickel free joint has only been available since Dec 06.

I don't know if you are registered on Knee Guru forum but I have found tons of information and the forum is very active.
http://www.kneeguru.co.uk/KNEEtalk/

 

[JeanneV]

I had a TKR in August of 2005. Since then I have been in constant pain, swelling, living on pain meds. It has finally been discovered that I am not only allergic to nickle but I am also allergic to bone cement (methacrylates). They are now trying to research what type of component probable the Oxzinium. Problem is how to attach it. They don't make the Oxzinium for revisions without cement. Has anyone else been down this road. How has your allergy and surgery gone for you?

 

[dids]

I feel for you - for various technical reasons, revisions HAVE to be done with cement so you have Hobson's choice on the matter. I know just before I retired last year there was much research and discussion about the issue.

Ceramics and knee joints just don't go together, I'm afraid - well not yet, anyway.