DePuy™ is a franchise of orthopedic and neurosurgery companies. Acquired by Johnson & Johnson in 1998, its companies form part of the Johnson & Johnson™ Medical Devices & Diagnostics group. DePuy™ was the first orthopedic company in the U.S. and has been a leader in hip replacement technology for over 40 years. DePuy™ is currently the subject of more than 11,000 lawsuits related to its recall of DePuy’s Orthopedic Pinnacle™ Hip Replacement System. Industry analysts estimate the recall and subsequent lawsuits will cost parent-company Johnson & Johnson™ billions of dollars to resolve.
DePuy™ Orthopedic Pinnacle™ Hip Replacement System allows surgeons to choose between a metal liner, ceramic liner, or polyethylene liner. The allegations made in DePuy Pinnacle hip implant lawsuits involve Pinnacle devices that utilize the metal liner. It was thought that all-metal hip implants would be more durable and longer-lasting than other implants made from alternative components. However, many people claim their metal-on-metal device failed within just a few years.
Symptoms of a failed DePuy™ Pinnacle hip replacement or other metal-on-metal implants include:
