Undergoing any kind of surgery carries with it certain risks. A patient could have an adverse reaction to anesthesia or develop an infection while recovering. If he has an orthopedic implant installed during surgery, he could experience an allergic reaction to it.
Orthopedic Implants
Orthopedic implants are devices surgically implanted in a person's body to repair and support bones or replace joints entirely. Some implants are unmoving, like rods and screws. Others, like hip or knee joint replacements, have moving parts. Newer implants are constructed of a combination of metal and plastic, while older implants are constructed of metal alone.
Allergic Reaction
It is not uncommon for a person to have skin that is sensitive to metal. Reactions to metals used in orthopedic implants--such as chromium, cobalt and nickel--are not unusual on the skin, but true allergic reactions to metal implants are rare, according to Orthopedic Surgical Implants and Allergies. Allergic reactions are usually concentrated at the site of the orthopedic implant, rather than spreading around on the skin.
Symptoms
Some patients experiencing an allergic reaction to orthopedic implants will develop visible symptoms like a rash. The rash is concentrated over the place where the implant is located. The most common symptom of an allergy to orthopedic implants is the failure of the implant. It will become loose, failing to properly bond with bone and provide support. Other symptoms include delayed surgical wound healing and pain.
Treatment
The immediate symptom of a rash can be treated with anti-inflammatory medication and ointments to soothe the itching. To prevent the allergic reaction from continuing and to avoid the risk of injury due to implant failure, the patient's current implant should be removed and replaced with one of a different material, either of plastic, ceramic/polyethylene or titanium, which causes fewer reactions than other metals.
Considerations
A patient who has experienced metal sensitivity on her skin probably will not experience an allergic reaction to an orthopedic implant. Because allergic reactions are rare, doctors do not always look for them as a part of follow-up care. It is important to let doctors know about any symptoms that occur after surgery to implant an orthopedic device so healing is not delayed, according to Fisher's Contact Dermatitis.
