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Researchers say they found a way to protect people from heavy metal poisoning as a result of toxicity from cobalt implants.Cobalt was widely used for hip and knee joint replacements due to strength and durability, but this led to cases of heavy metal poisoning. Toxicity can arise from cobalt and other metals if they accumulate in body tissues at high levels. After years of implant wear and tear, metal particles can build up around the joint and cause pain, inflammation and dark discoloration.
Teams at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine and Carnegie Mellon say they can protect people from this toxicity, called metallosis.
They say implant removal represents “the obvious solution.” However, invasive revision joint surgery brings risk with it. According to the team, traditional chelation therapy is another option. In this therap…