Nichel e dispositivi medico-chirurgici

Medical and surgical devices (DMC) are essential to modern medicine and their purpose is to improve the survival and quality of life in patients with various diseases. Most DMCs contain nickel, which may cause adverse side effects to develop in susceptible persons. The prevalence of nickel allergy in the general population in developed countries is about 7-10% in women, and 2-3% in men. However, potential adverse events associated to nickel-containing devices occur only in 1-3% of patients with evidence of nickel sensitization. By reviewing reports we have found: contact dermatitis, local and/or systemic allergic reactions, stomatitis, lichenoid contact stomatitis, cheilitis, eczema, pompholyx eczema, pruritic rash, osteonecrosis, delayed and poor wound healing, local pain, sarcoid reactions and coronary in-stent restenosis. Adverse side effects to nickel involve both immune and non-immune mechanisms. This overview provided evidence of an increased risk of allergy to nickel associated with the use of devices containing nickel.