← Return to Is there a hospital or Dr in US who understand metal allergies in TKR?

Discussion
Comment receiving replies
@mabfp3

I am so sorry for all that you are going through! It sounds like to me that you had an allergy to nickel. It is very common but many surgeons and medical practices never even think to ask if you have had any reactions to nickel. Many people who I know who have had TKR were never asked and it turned out that they were lucky. The only way that I knew was that many years ago, when I would buy cheap pierced earrings, I would break out in a rash on my earlobes and they would swell and itch. When I was about to have knee replacement, the dr asked if I had a nickel allergy and sent me for testing. The tests showed a HUGE allergy to nickel, so with the replacement, he ordered a nickel free one. You should go back to your surgeon and tell him, along with letting him see, all that you are going through. You may have to have the original replacement removed and have a nickel free one put in. Sending you my best wishes.

Jump to this post


Replies to "I am so sorry for all that you are going through! It sounds like to me..."

Dr. Young-Min Kwon is an orthopedic surgeon at Massachusetts General in Boston. He runs the Biomedical Lab and he is a professor at Harvard Medical School. You should send him an email. If he doesn't have an answer, he would know who would.

@mabfp3 I did have an allergy blood test prior to spine surgery that didn’t find anything. I also had problems with pierced earrings so I expected it. Titanium isn’t pure either. I was fine for 6 months and then I got hives. It just shows that you can develop an allergic reaction later after a period of exposure. My surgeon knows about this since he took his plates out and I have been fine ever since. Thanks for your concern. I hope I don’t need more replacement parts.