Presence of Cobalt and Chromium Ions in the Seminal Fluid of Young Patients With Metal-on-Metal Total Hip Arthroplasty

• Published in: The Journal of arthroplasty Vol. 28; no. 1; pp. 161 - 167
• Main Authors: Nikolaou, Vassilios S., MD, PhD, Petit, Alain, PhD, Zukor, David J., MD, Papanastasiou, Constantine, MD, Huk, Olga L., MD, MSc, Antoniou, John, MD, PhD
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 2013
• Subjects: Adult; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip; Chromium - analysis; Chromium - blood; Cobalt - analysis; Cobalt - blood; fertility; Hip Prosthesis; Humans; Lipid Peroxidation; Male; metal ions; metal on metal; Middle Aged; Orthopedics; Semen - chemistry; Sperm Count; Sperm Motility; sperm parameters; total hip arthroplasty; total hip arthroplasty; metal on metal; metal ions; sperm parameters; fertility
• ISSN: 0883-5403; 1532-8406
• DOI: 10.1016/j.arth.2012.04.019

Abstract We aimed to investigate the effect of metal ions on the semen of males of child fathering age with metal-on-metal (MM) total hip arthroplasty (THA). Semen was collected form 11 patients with MM THA and 5 control of comparable age. Cobalt and chromiun concentrations were measured in both the seminal plasma and in the blood of patients. Results showed that cobalt level was higher in the seminal plasma of MM THA patients (2.89 μ g/L) compared to control patients (1.12 μ g/L) ( P = .011). The ejaculate volume, the sperm density, the total sperm count, the pH, and the percentage of cells with normal morphology were in the range of the World Health Organization criteria for fertile population.