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TGA Maintains Metal-On-Metal Hip Replacement Recommendations

July 19, 2017

Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration said its recommendations on metal-on-metal hip replacements remain unchanged following recent revisions by the U.K.’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency to its guidance on such devices.

Because of ongoing safety and durability concerns, in 2012 MHRA recommended annual blood tests and imaging for metal-on-metal hip replacements showing symptoms of tissue reactions and for all patients with larger or DePuy ASR implants. In new recommendations, the MHRA called for expanded annual screening to include all female patients who have had hip resurfacing and all male patients with smaller femoral head implants.

The TGA recommended that during the follow-up process for patients with such implants, doctors conduct regular blood testing for chromium and cobalt. The tests should be conducted on patients with and without symptoms, and doctors should consider revisions for any tests that show imaging abnormalities or increased levels of chromium or cobalt, TGA said.

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