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Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: EP/C00163X/1
Title: Does hypersensitivity to metallic implant materials lead to early failure of THR?
Principal Investigator: Tipper, Professor JL
Other Investigators:
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Department: Mechanical Engineering
Organisation: University of Leeds
Scheme: First Grant Scheme Pre-FEC
Starts: 01 June 2005 Ends: 28 February 2009 Value (£): 125,544
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Biomaterials
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
Healthcare
Related Grants:
Panel History:  
Summary on Grant Application Form
The short-term clinical performance of metal-on-metal (MOM) hip prostheses has been encouraging, with low wear and revision rates, however, there are concerns about the long-term biological effects that metal wear particles have on cells in the body. There are an increasing number of reports associating MOM hip prostheses with hypersensitivity type reactions, which lead to failure of the joint. At present patients are not tested for metal sensitivity prior to hip replacement. There is an increasing need to resolve whether metal sensitivity is a significant and/or predisposing factor for producing an over-aggressive immune response in patients with metallic components. This research will determine the pre- and post-operative incidence of metal sensitivty in patients with MOM hip prostheses using a combination of immunological methods. This will allow fundamental questions regarding the immunological responses to metal wear particles, and the role that these reponses play in determining implant life to be answered. These studies will provide valuable diagnostic tools capable of identifying patients most at risk of implant failure, leading to patient specific therapies in the form of the most suitable implant type for each patient.
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Organisation Website: http://www.leeds.ac.uk