![]() ![]() Tower found that hard to believe at first), we now know that it most definitely can.Īnd although that DuPuy hip, which Tower subsequently had removed, has since been recalled due to “system failure,” there are currently said to be a million Americans at risk from ACE and other health problems because of joint replacements. While it might seem far-fetched that an orthopedic implant could cause problems with the brain (even Dr. The friction of the parts rubbing together (as they are intended to do) can release microscopic particles of cobalt into the body. Testing of his blood and urine revealed 100 times the expected amount of cobalt in his body… and as it was revealed in the documentary The Bleeding Edge, the toxic metal was coming right from the DuPuy hip. While attending a medical conference, he became so unhinged that he totally “trashed” his hotel room while suffering, as his wife recalled, a “full-on breakdown.”Īnd the reason was something he never suspected: cobalt poisoning.Ĭobalt is found naturally in the earth’s crust – but like many other common toxic compounds, too much of it can spell disaster. ![]() That, however, was only the beginning, because he was soon driven to the brink of insanity. Tower was back to the extreme biking he loved, so he considered the operation a success.īut then, over a year after his surgery, he started having “a slew of health issues.” He developed a tremor and ringing in his ears. So, when he himself needed a new hip back in 2006, he knew exactly what he wanted - a metal-on-metal hip replacement made by device manufacturer DePuy.Īt first, everything was going well, Dr. Tower is an orthopedic surgeon who knows these replacement parts inside and out – after all, his profession involves inserting them into patients! Stephen Tower’s story should convince you otherwise.ĭr. Yesterday, I told you about the Wild West known as the device industry… and how the FDA will allow practically anything on the market, as long as the manufacturer can point to a similar device that’s already being sold.īut what’s outrageous, terrifying, and tragic is that this still holds true even if that prior device has been found to be dangerous and recalled!Īs bad as that situation is, there’s one particular aspect of the medical device industry that belongs in a horrifying category all of its own: the spare parts that are used to replace our knees, hips, and shoulders.īecause it turns out that anyone who submits to joint-replacement surgery is at risk for developing a condition called arthroplasty cobalt encephalopathy, or ACE, but they may not know it - because the symptoms mimic those of Parkinson’s and even dementia!Īnd if there was any question whether ACE could happen to absolutely anyone, Dr. In other words, it can be the beginning of the end. For many seniors, a hip or knee replacement is a life-changer that gives them their mobility back.įor an untold number of others, however, it can take away everything they hold dear. ![]()
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