Cutaneous manifestation of metallosis in a metal-on-metal total hip arthroplasty after acetabular liner dissociation.

Abstract

In this case report, we describe a cutaneous manifestation of extensive metallosis in a patient 4 months post-metal-on-metal total hip arthroplasty with a Pinnacle cup with dissociation of the liner from the shell and resultant stripe burnishing of the shell and notch wear of the femoral neck. Dissociation of a metal liner has not been previously reported with this implant. Cutaneous metallosis has only been reported once in the literature. Clinicians should heighten their suspicion for metallosis secondary to hardware failure when encountering patients with skin discoloration in the setting of a painful and poorly functioning hip arthroplasty. In patients with failure of a metal-on-metal prosthesis with a modular metal liner in the acetabular component, liner dissociation must be considered.