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Old 06-20-2012, 09:44 AM
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Harrison Harrison is offline
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Material reactivity throws another wrinkle into the human process, perhaps literally. When a metal interacts (reacts) with the human body, the immune system will cloak the device (doesn’t matter if it’s plastic, metal) with all kinds of biochemicals ranging from proteins to T Cells.

This is really complicated stuff; bear in mind that the immune processes will vary in accordance to the implant type and procedure. E.g., dental implants are more complicated: teeth are a bridge between the bloodstream and a complex oral system of saliva 600+ microbes, some of which are pathogenic.

Furthermore, the material reactivity likely plays a critical process in the area of biofilm development, but this area of development is still nascent, so research is sparse. Some related links below.
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Histological and ultrastructural reaction to different materials for orthopaedic application.
Histological and ultras... [Int J Immunopathol Pharmacol. 2011 Jan-Mar] - PubMed - NCBI
(requested this article from the authors)

Metal Corrosion in the Human Body:The Ultimate Bio-Corrosion Scenario
http://www.electrochem.org/dl/interf...u08_p31-34.pdf

Electrochemical Corrosion of Metal Implants
Electrochemical Corrosion of Metal Implants

An in vitro assessment of wear particulate generated from NUBAC: a PEEK-on-PEEK articulating nucleus replacement device: methodology and results from a series of wear tests using different motion profiles, test frequencies, and environmental conditions.
An in vitro assessment of wear particu... [Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2011] - PubMed - NCBI

Oral Mucosa Tissue Response to Titanium Cover Screws.
Oral Mucosa Tissue Response to Titanium Cover ... [J Periodontol. 2011] - PubMed - NCBI

A good cheat sheet (overview) of typical infection processes:
http://web.biosci.utexas.edu/field/mic361a/steps.htm

Please note: this overview contrasts slightly with newer paradigms of infection; particularly biofilm infections. E.g., the last step in the host-infection process states that "The host recovers, remains infected, or succumbs to infection." In actuality, all three conditions can occur simultaneously. Hence, we see the notion of sub-clinical chronic diseases that affect millions.
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Fell on my ***winter 2003, Canceled fusion April 6 2004
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