Aseptic lymphocyte dominated vasculitis-associated lesion resulting from trunnion corrosion in a cobalt-chrome unipolar hemiarthroplasty.

Abstract

Most of the published descriptions of adverse soft tissue reactions that have been reported in the context of a metal-on-metal articulation have been in cases of total hip arthroplasty or resurfacing arthroplasty. Recently, several case reports have been published describing aseptic lymphocyte dominated vasculitis-associated lesions (ALVAL) in metal-on-polyethylene. To our knowledge, there has not been a description of a similar, aggressive reaction secondary to metal debris from the head-neck junction of a unipolar hemiarthroplasty component. In this case report, we describe a patient with a catastrophic failure of a unipolar hip hemiarthroplasty, secondary to aggressive osteolysis and an inflammatory mediated immunological reaction to metal debris.