Has Anyone Had a Dual Mobility Hip Implant? How many years ago?

@nat0430 Ugh! Thinking you are going to be better after surgery, then facing 2 years of pain and still hurting is awful. I have not had the dual mobility implant, but I did require revision of both original hip implants in 2011. My original implants were supposed to be more suitable for younger, more active patients in 2006, when I was in my 50's. They lasted 5 years, during which time I repeatedly told the surgeon "something felt wrong."

They implants a newer technology, where the cup & ball were chromium cobalt & titanium to reduce wear, but the shedding of the chromium-cobalt during wear created problematic metal levels in up to 50% of patients, requiring revision to traditional surfaces. These particular implants are no longer being used, but there are still people on Connect reporting that they are having them removed due to serious issues.

Some of the dual mobility implants have potential friction between the titanium acetabular cup & the gliding surface of the liner, which is chromium cobalt. Higher metal ion levels in the blood have been reported, which means metal is being shed by the prosthesis faster than it can be broken down and eliminated by the liver. According to the following article, this has not yet resulted in reported problems, but I would worry that long-term there could be significant issues as ion levels rise.

Here is an excerpt:
"...The modern, modular design has an additional cobalt-chromium (CoCr) liner inserted into a titanium acetabular component allowing supplementary screw fixation to enhance primary stability. However, the metal-on-metal interface between CoCr liner and titanium cup is at risk of fretting corrosion and remains a concern [175,176,177]. Metal ions can further lead to advance local tissue reaction (ALRT) and implant loosening [178]. The first study regarding metal ions was conducted by Matsen Ko et al., which revealed 21% of the patient had elevated serum chromium levels [179]. Other studies reported that serum ion levels (cobalt, chromium or titanium) was elevated in 9.3-23% of the patients [47, 111]. On the other hand, some studies have noted that this elevation was not associated with clinical adverse events including instability, loosening or need of revision [64, 67, 72]. In summary, the current evidence suggests there is a slight elevation of serum ion level but this does not negatively affect the implant survival..." Full text:(https://bmcmusculoskeletdisord.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12891-021-04404-4)

Having experienced the unintended consequence of metal poisoning, complete with revisions, and a long recovery from the metal levels, and knowing that they ARE reporting elevated metal ion levels already, my response to this suggestion would be to ask the surgeon to help find an alternative that did not include such a risk. I would ask for the EXACT name, manufacturer and US distributor of the implant and do my own research.

I see that you are already planning a discussion with the surgeon. Wonderful! Continue to be an informed consumer, and your own advocate! If I cana help you formulate specific questions for your visit, please reach out.
Sue

Hi again, Sue - If you have a moment for another couple questions I would appreciate it and will happily accept your offer to review my component questions when I draft them. First, the surgeon plans to resect upper part of my greater troch and release the piriformis. He also plans to repair any soft tissue that he sees that needs repairing. As mentioned, he plans to remove my cup that is impinging posteriorly and replace it with the dual mobility (I think because I am active and want to return to tennis; plus I do not want to be lengthened further because my soft tissues feel so taut as is - I was lengthened 9 mm last time, but I am only 5'2"). I was wondering if you could share what the recovery is like after a posterior revision surgery similar to the one I described? I had an anterior approach before with no restrictions. I'm just wondering what your thoughts are on the speed of recovery from a revision? Also, I presume my current stem will be used, but was wondering if you knew how that would work/fit with a dual mobility component that would have a different type of ball? Thanks very much, Natalie