Histopathology and metallurgical analysis of a removed Lane plate at 53 years postimplantation: a case report.

A vanadium steel Lane plate with nickel coating and low grade steel screws were removed from a patient 53 years postimplantation. Corrosion of the parts was extreme, but the reaction in the surrounding tissues was surprisingly quiescent under the circumstances. By today's standards, the materials, their application, and their performance were totally unacceptable. However, the biological system tolerated this "insult" well.