C. Lecorvaisierpieto et al., ASEPTIC, LOCALIZED AND RECURRENT CELLULITIS AFTER PROSTHESIS IMPLANTATION, EJD. European journal of dermatology, 6(6), 1996, pp. 430-433
Non-infectious dermatites due to orthopedic implants have rarely been
reported, except for eczema, We describe the cases of three patients w
ho presented, three months after implantation of a total hip prosthesi
s (cases 1 and 3) or a unicompartmental knee prosthesis (case 2). a hi
ghly febrile cellulitis which was localized in the skin overlying the
implant, Histological examination of skin biopsy specimens showed cell
ulitis without vasculitis. Bacteriological cultures of blood and skin
samples were sterile. Oral provocation tests with nickel, chromium and
cobalt resulted in the recurrence of the cellulitis in one of the two
patients tested. The cellulitis recurred 8 to 18 times in the three p
atients, with no evidence of an infectious process. The eruption and f
ever cleared spontaneously in about 10 days, and within 48 hours in pa
tients treated with oral corticosteroids. Signs of loosening of the or
thopedic material were found in all three patients. These febrile, loc
alized and recurrent episodes of cellulitis seem to correspond to a no
vel skin disorder, probably caused by hypersensitivity to the implante
d prosthetic material.