On August 26, 2010, DePuy Orthopaedics Inc. announced that it would be recalling two hip replacement products, the ASR Hip Resurfacing System and the ASR XL Acetabular System. New data, which prompted the DePuy hip implant recall, has indicated that more patients than expected experienced pain and other symptoms which required a revision surgery following the initial hip replacement procedure.
Studies have also shown that the DePuy hip replacement system, a metal-on-metal device, can cause metallosis as it wears. Therefore, any patient implanted with a recalled device, regardless of whether they have experienced pain or other signs of hip implant failure, may be at risk for complications.
If you or a loved one has been implanted with a device involved in the DePuy hip recall, do not wait until you experience hip implant failure to seek legal help. Contact our hip implant recall lawyers today for a free evaluation of your claim. Although every case is different, victims of defective hip implants recovered $500 million dollars in a similar suit.
DePuy Hip Metal Poisoning
Because the ASR is a metal-on-metal device, experts believe it may generate an excessive amount of metallic debris as it wears. This debris can cause a severe inflammation response, leading to damage in muscles and other soft tissue. Early failure of metal-on-metal hip devices is a concern because such muscle and tissue damage can compromise subsequent revision surgery. Moreover, excessive levels of cobalt have been measured in patients with recalled ASR devices.
Excessive levels of cobalt - or cobaltism - can result in tinnitus, vertigo, deafness, blindness, optic nerve damage, convulsions, headaches, peripheral neuropathy, cardiomyopathy, and hypothyroidism. Cobaltism is particularly concerning for patients with impaired kidney function. Pregnant women with the ASR could pose a risk to their babies if they have elevated cobalt levels. Most importantly, patients with a recalled ASR are at risk for cobaltism even without hip pain or other symptoms of a failing hip prosthesis. Therefore, if you have been implanted with a defective hip implant, do not wait until you experience symptoms to seek legal assistance.Contact us today for a free case evaluation.
1 in 8 ASR Hip Replacement Patients Needed Revision Surgery
New information from the National Joint Registry of England and Wales revealed that within five years, one in eight patients who received the recalled hip replacement products required a revision surgery.According to the new data, approximately 13% of patients implanted with the ASR total hip replacement and 12% of patients who received the ASR resurfacing device required a second hip replacement within five years. DePuy Orthopaedics Inc. estimates that approximately 10,000 patients implanted with the recalled ASR hip replacement products will need revision surgery.
DePuy Hip Failure Symptoms
Patients who reported problems with the DePuy hip replacement systems and needed corrective surgery complained of pain, swelling and difficulty walking. Other signs of DePuy hip implant failure may include:
- Thigh pain
- Pain upon walking
- Pain when standing from a seated position
- Unexplained hip pain
- Groin pain
- Pain with weight bearing
If you experience symptoms of a failed DePuy hip implant system, you may want to speak with your orthopedist, as you may have been the recipient of a DePuy ASR system that failed prematurely. Furthermore, even if you have yet to experience symptoms of a failing hip device, it's important to seek legal guidance in light of the DePuy hip implant recall. To speak with a Depuy hip implant recall lawyer today, fill out our free case review form on the right.
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