[Electrogalvonic inflammation as the cause of aseptic implant loosening in alloarthroplasty of the hip joint (author's transl)].

The appearance of pronounced cavity formation and erosion of the cortex layer in the area of the prosthetic shaft following total endoprosthetic implantation, without signs of an acute bacterial inflammatory activity, was investigated in specimens from the Orthopedic Hospital, Würzburg. The causes of these alterations, in most cases, could be electrogalvonic tension which produces inflammatory processes with lacunar disintegration of the cortex layer. In this process, the metal implant is loosened. In vitro experiments have shown that an average difference in potential of 290 mV can be established between both electrodes of the metal implant.