The hip’s ball and socket joint may deteriorate or become less sturdy with time. Recent operations have been devised to address this specific type of physical condition. These procedures might include polishing the hip bone surfaces to replacing the ball and socket joint entirely. Metal-on-metal devices are used in more recent hip implant procedures to mimic the hip joint.
Although hip implant surgeries can be quite successful and efficient, there has recently been an increase in hip implant injury claims, particularly with metal hip implants. This might be because medical device technology is still new, and there haven’t been enough long-term tests on these operations. Additionally, some hip implant technologies have been discovered to be flawed, injuring patients shortly after the treatment is finished.
Metal Hip Implants: What Are They?
Working metal components are used in metal hip implants to reconstruct or replace hip joints. People with debilitating hip illnesses, injuries, and other ailments use them. In particular, “metal on metal” hip implants have been made available to the general public. These implants mimic the natural hip joint by using a metal ball inserted into a metal cup.
Some metal-on-metal hip implant designs have led to patients’ reports of injuries and other postoperative issues. Particularly, many legal actions have been brought against the DePuy company’s ASR XL Acetabular System and ASR Hip Resurfacing System. DePuy consequently decided to recall these two goods in the summer of 2010.
The Sulzer Hip Implant: What Is It?
An artificial hip called the Sulzer Hip Implant was employed in medical hip replacement surgeries. During the hip surgery, a manufactured mechanical replacement hip that consisted of a ball-and-socket joint was used to replace the patient’s native hip. The patient’s femur was fitted with a stem on which the metal ball was fixed.
The socket was built after the acetabulum and placed on the pelvic surface. A manufacturing failure also damaged the Sulzer knee replacement, which affected the Sulzer hip implant.
What Caused the Recall of the Sulzer Hip Implant?
Many patients who had the Sulzer hip implant in 2000 began complaining about their hip’s worsening pain. After conducting an inquiry, the product’s maker, Sulzer Orthopedics, discovered that the “acetabular shell” component was faulty. The hip implant component that was put into the upper part of the hip and intended to fuse the hip implant with natural bone is known as the particular piece.
However, the acetabular shell could not effectively bind with the bone as intended because an oily residue unintentionally left on the shell during manufacture prevented it from doing so. Customers who had received hip implants damaged by the oily residue suffered substantial harm due to the hip implants disintegrating inside the body.
Patients with the manufacturing flaw in their hip implant had pain in their groin and inner thighs and other types of hip-related pain, like pain while getting up from a seated posture. Nearly all of the patients who received the implants had revision surgery to repair the poor product because of the discomfort caused by the bad product.
What Percentage of Sulzer Hip Implants Have Been Recalled?
Sulzer Orthopedics recalled all the faulty acetabular shells harmed by the oily residue in the same year as their research. In fact, due to poor manufacture, over 40,000 hip implants were recalled. In fact, due to poor manufacture, over 40,000 hip implants were recalled. A class action lawsuit was finally filed against Sulzer following the filing of numerous civil cases against the company.
Victims of both the recalled hip and knee replacement devices were offered a class action settlement that topped $1 billion to try and resolve the civil disputes expeditiously.
According to their particular instances, qualifying class action participants also have the right to obtain other extra benefits under the class action settlement.
What Kinds of Hip Implant Defects Are There?
Among the flaws with hip implants that have lately been found:
- Components deterioration
- Issues with metals absorbing into the blood
- Hindering the correct passage of blood to the muscles
- Incorrect joint alignment or misaligned prosthetic joint components
These metal hip implant flaws can cause several ailments, such as lower back and joint pain, upper thigh muscle constriction, and a misaligned spine. Blood-related injuries that could result from metal debris entering the bloodstream are of special concern.
How Might Metal Hip Implants Harm Someone?
Injuries caused by metal hip implants often fall into one of two categories:
- Mechanical problems resulting in implant degrading
- Metal ions entering the bloodstream causing chemical damage
The implant’s ball and socket structure may deteriorate due to walking motion, leaving metal fragments in the region where the implant has come free. This may cause the hip area to suffer additional harm and pain. The defective metal-on-metal implant has frequently needed to be removed by additional surgery.
Due to the significant levels of metal ions in their blood, some hip patients have complained of adverse effects on their nervous, thyroid, and circulatory systems. The hip replacement corroding metal has been connected to these chemically-based ailments.
What Would Happen If You Were Hurt by the Stryker Rejuvenate Hip Implant Following the Recall?
Even though the Hip Implant was recalled in 2012, you may still be able to sue the company if you’re currently using one and get hurt.
The voluntary recall won’t prevent you from being compensated, and if a class action lawsuit has already been resolved, a fund will probably be available to replace your losses.
You or your loved one’s estate or heirs are entitled to bring a lawsuit on their behalf if they had one, were hurt by it, and ultimately passed away (either from the implant or anything else unconnected).
It’s critical to demonstrate that either you or a loved one has the implant and was harmed by it. Your case will be aided by any medical records that contain the implant number or details about the operation.
The court might also ask to see your medical history to determine whether you had any experiences that could have contributed to the harm, such as getting hit by a car after the implant and the implant breaking.
Can Hip Implant Defects Cause Damages?
A court of law may hear cases involving injuries caused by flaws in metal hip implants. Some people can now receive compensation for their injuries because of lawsuits already filed due to hip implant defects. In some instances, this will cover expenses like medical bills, prescription drug costs, and other connected losses like lost wages (for instance, if the injuries cause the person to miss work).
A complete product return and payment for additional operations are possible alternatives. State-to-state differences may exist in the legislation governing damages awards in these situations.
What Sorts of Expenses Are Coverable?
DePuy indicated in its recall statement that it would provide coverage for the following:
- Patient out-of-pocket costs for those with insurance
- Time spent undergoing another surgery and lost wages
The costs of further medical care, lost pay from time missed at work owing to the injury, and in some situations, pain and suffering may not be fully covered by these. As a result, it might be required to submit a private claim depending on your specific requirements.
Do I Require an Attorney to Handle My Hip Implant Defect Claims?
Many people may benefit from hip implants but are not without risk. If you need to file a claim about a hip implant, consider consulting a skilled class action attorney. Your lawyer can provide suggestions for filing a lawsuit and effectively represent you in court.
