Over 300,000 people undergo hip replacement surgery each year in the United States. People of all ages and from all walks of life require hip replacement surgery for various reasons such as a sports injury, bone degeneration in the elderly, or an unforeseen accident or fall causing a fractured hip.
Unfortunately, there are a number of hip replacement medical devices that have been recalled after being linked to serious medical problems, many of which result in patients requiring a revision hip replacement surgery.
In August of 2010, DePuy announced a major recall of its ASR Hip Replacement System after it was found that the failure rates in these devices were much higher than originally anticipated. Ironically, the orthopedic devices designed with longevity and durability in mind were found to break down within 5 years at a rate of roughly 13%. In addition to high rates of failure and revision surgeries among patients, certain models of the ASR Hip Replacement System were found to cause even more serious complications.
The ASR Hip Replacement system is a medical device designed by Johnson & Johnson subsidiary DePuy Orthopedics. The ASR Hip Replacement System was created to give younger patients in need of hip replacement surgery more options and flexibility in terms of their recovery time and range of motion.
DePuy designed its ASR system using a combination of 5 different materials so that patients could choose precisely what model best fit their lifestyle. The ball-and-socket surface options in the DePuy ASR Hip Replacement System include:
– Ceramic on polyethylene
– Metal on polyethylene
– Ceramic on metal
– Ceramic on ceramic
– Metal on metal
While the ASR system was designed to increase durability while reducing recovery time, DePuy now finds itself at the center of several major lawsuits by former patients claiming that their replacement ASR hips are causing serious, damaging complications.
The metal-on-metal DePuy hip systems are now the most notorious of the recalled devices due to the serious side-effects caused when the joints of these devices begin to deteriorate. When the metal joints rub against each other, they release metal particles into the surrounding joints and tissue that can cause serious side-effects including:
– Joint swelling and pain
– Metallosis or metal poisoning
– Chromium and Cobalt poisoning
– Bone deterioration
– Tissue death
The judge presiding over the current federal litigation against DePuy recently issued a ruling extending the filing deadline for plaintiffs who received the ASR Hip Replacement System but did not require revision surgery. Patients that have been affected by the ASR Hip Replacement System now have until January 31st to decide whether to dismiss their case in exchange for settlement payments or to pursue their ASR Hip Replacement lawsuit.
Graves McLain PLLC is a top-rated Tulsa Personal Injury Law Firm representing patients who have required revision surgery from Stryker Hip Implants as well as other types of defective medical devices and equipment.
Our Medical Malpractice and Defective Medical Device lawyers have substantial experience handling these types of complex cases and fighting for the maximum compensation on behalf of our clients.
If you or a loved one has been injured or required revision surgery due to a defective DePuy ASR Hip Replacement System, or any other piece of faulty medical equipment, contact Graves McLain immediately.
The compassionate injury lawyers at Graves McLain will help you understand the details of your case and will create a roadmap towards securing the maximum compensation to which you are entitled.
Contact Graves McLain Tulsa Personal Injury law firm today at 918-359-6600, email us, or request a free case evaluation on our website.
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