Defective Medical Products Comments Off
When your car is a lemon or is recalled for safety issues, you get it fixed at no cost at the dealership. But, what happens when your artificial hip is defective?
Thousands of Americans have been faced with this problem over the last decade or so. Each year, about 400,000 people in the United States undergo hip replacement surgeries. But, when these hip implants are defective, they create significant problems for those who receive them.
For example, DePuy, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson recalled its metal-on-metal hip implants because they were failing very quickly, within a year or two of surgery.
Reports of Early Failure
A WFMY News report gives the example of one patient who felt “clicking” in her newly replaced hip. Not until several years after she got her hip did DePuy admit it had a problem and recalled the device.
DePuy hips are made with all metal. Between 2000 and 2010 DePuy and other companies like Stryker made these components of chromium cobalt metal.
As the parts grind against each other, they produced particles of chromium cobalt that could cause metal poisoning after debris built up in the soft tissues of the body.
Side Effects of Metal Hip Implants
There are many ways in which metal hip implants can fail. Our legal practice has observed based on cases we handle that faulty hip implants can produce significant side effects for patients including:
- Premature death of body tissue of soft tissue damage due to excessive wear of the implant.
- Elevated cobalt and chromium levels in the blood, also known as metal poisoning or metallosis.
- Severe pain in the implant rendering the patient unable to walk.
- Fluid collection around the joint.
Protecting Victims’ Rights
Brands of hip implants such as Biomet, Stryker and DePuy have been the subject of a number of recalls and lawsuits. However, when an implant that has been placed inside your body fails, it is not easy to get it out and get it fixed, like you may repair a car part. In such cases, patients must undergo revision surgeries.
This means that the defective implant is surgically removed and replaced with a new device. Patients undergo not only the physical pain and suffering due to unnecessary surgery, but they endure financial burdens, paying medical expenses, hospitalization, cost of surgery and rehabilitation, not to mention lost income.
Some individuals are permanently injured or disabled due to these defective hip implants.
If you or a loved one has received a defective hip implant and have endured serious side effects, please contact an experienced medical device attorney who can help protect your rights and hold the negligent manufacturers accountable.