Missouri • Kansas • Southern Illinois
Has your hip replacement done more harm than good? Manufacturers of metal-on-metal ("MoM") hip replacements have aggressively marketed these products as being more durable and harder to dislocate than traditional implants. If you have suffered injuries from a defective hip implant system, our attorneys may be able to get you the compensation you deserve.
In recent years, concerns have led to the recall of some of the implant systems. Some of the recalled hip implant models include:
- J & J DePuy ASR
- J & J DePuy ASR XL
- Zimmer Durom Cup
Other brands which have been associated with problems include
- Wright
- Biomet
- Smith & Nephew
- Stryker
- Exactech
- Encore Orthopedics
- Centerpulse
Complications and injury from a defective hip implant can be debilitating:
- Infection
- Inflammation
- Muscle damage
- Tendon damage
- Nerve damage
- Bone loss
- "Revision" surgery (surgery to remove and replace the old implant)
The reports of problems with various systems have become so troubling that on May 6, 2011, the Food and Drug Administration ordered a study of 145 different hip replacements designs made by 21 different manufacturers. Here are some of the problems that physicians and patients have reported:
High failure rates
In August of 2010, Johnson & Johnson subsidiary DePuy recalled both its ASR and ASR XL hip replacements systems after growing pressure from the FDA over the devices' unusually high failure rate. And doctors in the United Kingdom have reported that DuPuy products have a failure rate as high as 49% after only six years [1].
Debris Generation
As the metal ball-and-joint scrape against each other, tiny particles of metal debris wear off within the patient. The particles can float freely within the joint, embed into nearby tissue or even enter the bloodstream, causing havoc on the patient's body.
Metal hypersensitivity
Metal hypersensitivity happens when the body's immune system reacts to a metal (like getting a rash when wearing a ring) except that with a MoM hip replacement, the metal is inside the body.
Cobolt poisoning
Cobolt ions from a MoM implant can enter a patient's system and cause long-term damage, including:
- Heart failure
- Heart enlargement
- Thyroid problems
- Blindness
- Deafness
- Cognitive impairment
If you have received a MoM hip replacement in the last few years, you should contact your doctor to determine the model of your implant. You should do this even if you are not presently experiencing any negative side effects because serious problems could arise at any time. If it turns out that you are depending on a potentially defective hip replacement implant, you should take action to protect your rights.
Contact the Attorneys of Brown & Crouppen Today
Remember - there may be a limited timeframe in which to make a claim and if you hesitate to file suit within the specified time limit, you may lose your opportunity forever. At Brown & Crouppen, our team of attorneys can help you pursue financial compensation for the pain, suffering, and medical costs that you have sustained as a result of these knee replacement devices. Call Brown & Crouppen toll-free: 888-842-7944 for your free legal consultation, or save time with our online intake form.
[1] http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-03-09/j-j-hip-replacement-failure-rate-may-be-49-u-k-orthopedists-group-says.html
