Book excerpt: Vanishing Bone unravels the mystery of a totally novel disease which causes the massive destruction of bone in individuals with total hip implants. Although initially considered 'rare, ' at its peak the disease affected over a million patients. This book takes readers through a detective adventure in contemporary medical science, identifying the cause of the disease the body's reaction to tiny wear particles from the prostheses, followed by the complex process of affecting its cure, the invention of a unique, wear-resistant plastic.