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Bullets, Joints, and Lead IntoxicationA Remarkable and Instructive Case
Donald M. Switz, MD;
M. E. Elmorshidy, MD;
William M. Deyerle, MD
Arch Intern Med. 1976;136(8):939-941.
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| Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text PDF and any section headings. |
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Synovitis and degenerative arthritis caused by deposition of heavy metal from a local source are not commonly encountered in the medical literature.1 The introduction of metallic bone and joint implants centuries ago led to cases of synovitis and bone destruction caused by reaction to deposition of fine metal particles, but this has become a rarity with progressive improvement in the quality of metallic implants.
This is apparently a rare condition because lead foreign bodies found in man, usually bullets, are readily encapsulated by dense avascular fibrous tissue. Bullets are not a currently documented source of lead poisoning, although the experience is cited in a text by Harrison and co-workers.2
Our patient had a unique case of degenerative arthritis and exacerbation of synovitis with subsequent lead poisoning caused by a bullet in the left ankle region that had remained silent for 40 years.
PATIENT SUMMARY
A 61-year-old teamster was
. . . [Full Text PDF of this Article]
Author Affiliations
From the departments of medicine (Dr Switz) and orthopedics (Drs Elmorshidy and Deyerle), Medical College of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Va.
Footnotes
Received for publication Dec 8, 1975; accepted Jan 13, 1976.
Reprint requests to Box 908, Medical College of Virginia, Richmond, VA 23298 (Dr Switz).
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