Hemochromatosis

Surgical steel 02/09/2009

Question:

I suspect that I have austenitic surgical steel screws in my foot. Does this alloy, which I now know contains iron, create complications in people with hemochromatosis (or at least who are experiencing symptoms as a "carrier" of the disease)?

Answer:

Thank you for your question. To our knowledge, there have never been any reports of iron overload resulting from surgical implants of any type.

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Response by:

Mark Wurster, MD Formerly: Clinical Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine Department of Internal Medicine College of Medicine The Ohio State University