Implications of orthopedic fretting corrosion particles on skeletal musclemicrocirculation

Particulate corrosion and wear products of metal implants are increasingly becoming topics of interest, due to the cascade of biological and biomechan ical events they induce. The impairment of skeletal muscle microcirculation by fretting corrosion particles may have profound consequences. We therefo re studied in vivo leukocyte-endothelial cell interaction in skeletal muscl e after confrontation with characterized titanium and stainless steel frett ing corrosion particles, and compared these results with those of the bulk materials. Using the hamster dorsal skinfold chamber preparation and intrav ital microscopy, we could demonstrate that stainless steel induces a more p ronounced inflammatory answer in contrast to the implant material titanium. However, we were not able to show a general benefit of bulk vs. debris. Ov erall, the study suggests that not only the bulk properties of orthopaedic implants, but also the microcirculatory implications of inevitable wear deb ris, may play a role in determining biocompatibility and ultimately longevi ty of an implant. The skinfold chamber is a feasible and versatile model fo r observation of the dynamic process of microvascular response after foreig n-body implantation, and offers much perspective. (C) 2001 Kluwer Academic Publishers.