First Step for Injured Hip-Replacement Patients is Determining Recall Status

If a person suspects one has been injured due to the implantation of a defective hip-replacement device, one should first determine whether one’s device has been recalled from the market. One of the world’s leading medical device technology companies, Stryker Howmedica Osteonics Corporation, produces many different medical devices, including those used in hip implant and knee implant procedures. While Styker and other prominent medical device companies have created safe hip implant devices, they have also manufactured dangerously defective hip implants.

These dangerous products include the recalled Stryker Rejuvenate and ABG II artificial joint-replacement devices. In addition, since 2016, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada have all recalled the LFIT Anatomic V40 hip replacement device.

When the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recalls a medical device, surgeons and doctors around the country are notified of a device’s recalled status. Stryker voluntarily recalled its Rejuvenate and ABG II hip replacement devices, admitting that the devices represented a potential danger to patients. Since the recall, the FDA has issued warnings to patients who received these hip implant devices.

Patients who received these implants should speak to their physician about undergoing a hip revision procedure, if they believe such a procedure may be necessary. Affected persons may also contact a personal injury attorney. Arnold & Smith, PLLC’s product defect lawyers may be able to help patients who have suffered injuries resulting from defective hip replacements.

Stryker recalled the Rejuvenate Hip Replacement Components and the ABG II Hip Replacement Components. Many people who received the Rejuvenate model with sixteen (16) modular necks and six (6) stands have reportedly suffered injuries. The Stryker company initially marketed the system to younger patients, promoting its product improving mobility. Unfortunately, many patients who received this implant ended up suffering from a decreased range of motion, an increase in hip pain, and the need for additional hip replacement surgery.

Stryker also recalled the ABG II Hip Replacement Components. Claimants produced substantial evidence that the modular-neck stem hip replacement components posed a serious risk to patients, leading Stryker to recall the product voluntarily in 2012.

In addition, Stryker recalled the LFIT Anatomic V40 Surgical total hip replacement procedure, which it designed to help patients suffering from hip pain and other severe problems. Many surgeons used this device in conjunction with other products, including the Stryker Citation, Meridian, Accolade II, and Accolade TMZF.

Notwithstanding these recalls, Stryker is a well-respected and well-known supplier of hip-replacement components. Even respected medical device manufacturers can design and distribute dangerous and defective parts from time to time.

Wright Medical Group recalled its Conserve Hip Implant products after they were linked to premature hip system failures, resulting in the need for patients to remove implants and undergo painful hip revision surgeries. Wright devices are made of metal-on-metal components that grind together when in use. These metal components shed tiny cobalt and chromium particles into the patient’s tissue. A patient may suffer dangerous complications such as metal poisoning and tissue decay.

Zimmer Medical’s Durom Hip Implant Products were available for only two years in the United States. Nonetheless, these products may have led to thousands of serious personal injuries for patients who received these hip replacement implants. Studies of the Durom Hip Implant Products revealed that a large percentage of patients receiving these implants required revision surgeries. Zimmer initially downplayed patient complaints, but it later admitted that the devices were likely to slip out of position. Many patients required revision surgeries within a year of the Durom Hip Implant installations.

Smith and Nephew, another medical device maker, has found itself embroiled in multiple lawsuits over its Birmingham Hip Resurfacing (BHR) and Modular Redapt Revision Femoral Hip implants. Smith and Nephew recalled 2,000 of these hip implant devices in 2016 and has have been quietly settling lawsuits regarding the products since 2013. Studies have shown that the metal-on-metal parts in the devices release metal into patients’ bodies, which can lead to other severe complications, including metallosis. Metal shedding debris can lead to heart and joint damage, as well as dangerous infections.

If you think your hip replacement might be defective, you need to talk to a lawyer as soon as possible. North Carolina law imposes a statute of limitations for product liability lawsuits. Contact our Charlotte personal injury law firm today to schedule your initial consultation. We can help you fight for the compensation you deserve.