The Case of Failed Hip Implants: How a Medical Device Can Ruin Lives

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Marina Del Ray, California, United States of America (Free-Press-Release.com) September 21, 2011 -- Santa Monica, CA – September 21, 2011. JD Law Group and the law offices of John Donahue today issued an update on the ongoing issue of failed hip implants and their legal ramification. Victims of failed hip implants should contact JD Law Group as soon as possible by calling 1-888-736-4248 or by visiting http://www.hipattorney.org.

Hip injuries and diseases that target and affect the hips usually require therapy and, in extreme cases, surgery. However, no amount of therapy can restore a patient’s hips to its former state and return an injured person’s ability to walk normal. For such patients, modern medical science has developed hip implants. This device has helped thousands of patients in their recovery and resumption of their normal lives – but for thousands as well, the same hip implants that helped them get better proved to be the cause of their new medical problems that are just as serious as their initial malady.

Hip implants are medical devices designed to replace injured or broken hip bones in order to support the body’s skeletal framework and reclaim a patient’s ability to stand upright, bend, and move. These implants are made of a combination of metal and plastic. Recently, big manufacturers of medical devices came up with metal-on-metal hip implants; these became popular as more and more orthopedic surgeons made use of all-metal implants on their patients who were undergoing hip replacement. Hip implants are intended to last 15 years or more, which adds to the device’s popularity as a long-term solution to hip injuries.

Failed Hip Implants

The US Food and Drug Administration do regular monitoring and review of complaints from consumers using such medical devices as hip implants. Since January this year, the number of complaints related to all-metal hip implants surged to a staggering five thousand filed complaints – a number exceeding the combined hip implant complaints for the past four years.

Most of the complainants reported that their hip implants have failed after only a few years. For this reason, most have undergone or are planning to undergo removal of their all-metal hip implants and reattachment of new ones. A considerable number of complainants also report side effects caused by the tiny particles of cobalt and chromium that are shed by the metal device as it wears away. Elevated levels of cobalt and chromium in the body resulted to pain, rashes, and inflammation in the hip area, with some patients experiencing flu-like symptoms, swollen lips, and fatigue. The metal ions are released into the bloodstream by the wearing away of the device and the constant grinding of the hip’s ball-andsocket structure. The metal debris collects in the surrounding tissues of the hip where it causes damage to the muscles and tendons and, in certain cases, complications to replacement surgeries. Broader health problems also arise following the release of metal ions into the bloodstream.

All fingers pointed to Johnson & Johnson’s De Puy Orthopedics Incorporated. While De Puy Orthopedics Inc. was not the only manufacturer of all-metal hip implants, it is the largest manufacturer of such devices and the source of the Metal ASR Hip System, reportedly the most problematic of all metal-onmetal hip implants. Johnson & Johnson is a trusted brand, making their hip implant a popular choice among orthopedic surgeons. At present, there are approximately 93,000 people implanted with De Puy’s hip system in the US and other countries. The company is now facing more than 2,000 lawsuits in state and federal courts nationwide. Manufacturers have pulled out their all-metal hip implants from the market but consumers are still alerted to research thoroughly on all kinds of implants they plan to use.

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