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Phagocytosis of chromium during patellar osteoarthritic remodelling associated with a knee prosthesis

Virchows Archiv A volume 382, pages 119–126 (1979)Cite this article

Summary

The report is of an anatomico-pathological and electron probe microanalyzer study of a patella with osteoarthritic remodelling, that had been in contact with a cast cobalt-chromium-molybdenum prosthesis for two years and seven months.

Abrasion of the metal resulted in preferential phagocytosis of chromium, principally in the wall of an osteoarthritis cyst.

This observation indicates that a substance administered by intra-articular pathway for the treatment of osteoarthritis can become phagocytosed, and quite deeply, in the remodelled bone.

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Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology (Osteoarticular Unit), University School of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland

    René Lagier

  2. Department of Mineralogy (Laboratory of Electron Probe Microanalysis), Faculty of Sciences, University of Geneva, Switzerland

    Jean Bertrand

Authors
  1. René Lagier
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  2. Jean Bertrand
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Lagier, R., Bertrand, J. Phagocytosis of chromium during patellar osteoarthritic remodelling associated with a knee prosthesis. Virchows Arch. A Path. Anat. and Histol. 382, 119–126 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01102746

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01102746

Key words

  • Osteoarthritis
  • Joint prosthesis
  • Metal phagocytosis
  • Chromium