Hip Devices May Trump Breast Implant Recall, BMJ Says

Failing metal-on-metal hip replacements made by manufacturers including Johnson & Johnson may harm more people than leaking breast implants made in France, according to an investigation by the British Medical Journal and the British Broadcasting Corp.

Hundreds of thousands of people worldwide may have been exposed to high levels of toxic cobalt and chromium ions that can seep into tissues and destroy muscle and bone, leaving some patients with long-term disability, the BMJ and BBC said in a statement today. Studies also show that metal ions can seep into the bloodstream, spreading to the lymph nodes, spleen, liver and kidneys, they said.