With all this alloy can I still be cremated?

[Gino_Tortellini]

I searched this forum and found nothing on this topic....

I was trying to think of a question that Dr. Gross had never had before but didn't get the chance to ask him during my six week follow up.

It is a bit morbid, but I am curious, can a person with Cobalt Chrome hips still be cremated with those implants in place?
 
G_T

[bosoxgordon]

Gino, you made me chuckle when I read this. I bet that would be a question that Dr. Gross has never had to answer. My guess is the implant will survive the fires pretty well.

Look at it this way, you'll have something cool to leave your family. As long as we're being morbid, your grand kids can use it as a top.

[hernanu]

your grand kids can use it as a top.

 

[ScubaDuck]

@Gino, that is a great question.  I was planning on getting cremated but never thought of this.

@bosoxgordon - that is freakin' hilarious.  What a great idea.  "What you doing kids?" "Playing with grandpa's hip"

Thanks for the morning chuckle.

Daniel

[Mr.Box]

I have to say.. +1 to bosoxgordon Made me laugh too!

[John C]

Good one Gino. I can speak from experience (luckily not my own). My mother had a full THR, and wished to be cremated. When we received her ashes, I forgot to ask what happened to the THR, but it was not included.

[Tin Soldier]

I've wonderd this same thing in the past and I bet some of the surgeons have had this question.  We all have a bit of morbid curiosity.  As a matter of fact, I asked Pritchett, with my wife in the room, sort of assuming that she would be the dealing with the 2 BHRs and a box of ash some day in the future.  I asked if they can be re-used and he said it wouldn't be done in the US, but maybe somewhere else.  I think that was a joke though.  Then I thought about recyling the alloy.  Geez, its a rather rare alloy, so maybe the local steel recyler would give you something for it.  With steel and copper theft these days, you'd probably have to show proof that it came from your spouse (after they died, and not from a homocide).

With a THR, if it's mostly Ti, it may have a lower melting temp than CoCr, but I don't think the crematorium temp is high enough to melt either.  The plastic on the THR, if it has a poly cup, will most likely be turned to ash.  The THR might be too long to fit in the the basic box that they give the ashes in.  The HR components probably would fit in the box fine with the ashes.  If it wasn't included, I wonder if the funeral home hangs onto the metal and then recycles it in a batch, unless of course the next of kin asks for it back.  Which might seem a little weird.   On the other hand, during a ceremony when spreading ashes, you probably don't want to be dealing with a large clunky chunk of metal.  Might be a little awkard.

Great question.  Now I'm curious.  I should just call the local funeral home and ask them the question.

[curt]

Luckily, since my hip got fixed, I've decided not to die after all!!

[B.I.L.L.]

Never thought about it before.  I think I'll suggest that my wife make some wind chimes out of my leftover parts, then when the wind blows she can think of me, how freakin romantic is that ?    The rest of me will be in hell but whatever, enjoy the chimes... Hahahahaha this is the most effed up topic in here yet, awesome !

[hernanu]

Luckily, since my hip got fixed, I've decided not to die after all!!

You're right curt, it's been done, so why follow the crowd?

[hernanu]

Never thought about it before.  I think I'll suggest that my wife make some wind chimes out of my leftover parts, then when the wind blows she can think of me, how freakin romantic is that ?    The rest of me will be in hell but whatever, enjoy the chimes... Hahahahaha this is the most effed up topic in here yet, awesome !

Love this, Bill - you can still make music afterwards. I think I'll suggest this to my daughters - I have two hips, so they don't have to fight over it.

[mslendzion]

too funny!!  I hope they give them back once cremated.  I really am curious to know what happen???

[Jason0411]

I think you will find all metal joints get recycled, even some of the bone has to ground down as the fire doesn't turn everything into ash.

I personally don't care if I can be cremated or not I ain't going to worrying about it after I am dead so why worry now.

I always think that actually to stick with the recycling we are all encouraged to do we ought to be buried so that the energy contained in our bodies can go back into the eco system via the bacteria etc that will consume us.