This news item features a young boy with syndromic scoliosis who had metal rods implanted in his chest. He developed severe post-operative symptoms which were suspected to be caused by metal allergy. MELISA testing showed that the boy was allergic to several metals found in the titanium implant. Symptoms resolved after the rods were removed. Eventually the rods were “camouflaged” from the patient’s immune system by an innovative carbon coating and the boy was able to tolerate the implant.
The case report has been published as an article in Spine deformity, the official journal of the Scoliosis Research Society.