Osteonecrosis secondary to internal fixation.

Allergies to metals as a cause of failure of joint prostheses has historically been a controversial issue. Loosening of a prosthesis may be due to trauma, infection of the surrounding area, or a faulty implantation of the device. However, cases of loosening of the device do occur without any history of the above criteria. This leads one to consider other explanations for this phenomenon, such as sensitivity of the tissues to one of the metals in the implant. The following presentation demonstrates that metal allergies are a surgical concern when considering joint prostheses, or internal fixation.