The British Medical Journal today published a feature article profiling additional problems with DePuy’s Pinnacle metal-on-metal hip implant. This article comes a year and a half after DePuy recalled a similar implant–the ASR implant–and at a time when many are questioning why the Pinnacle implant has not yet been recalled.
You can read the full article by clicking here.
The Journal reports that DePuy altered its design of the Pinnacle by making the femoral head larger, but making the stem that it sits on much shorter. DePuy made this change without conducting any clinical trials to prove that the change was safe or effective. DePuy also did not conduct adequate post-marketing studies to detect long-term problems with the design change.
Experts say that these design changes likely are are responsible for the release of high levels of toxic cobalt and chromium into the body. Despite this risk, the regulators in the US and Europe did not spot the changes or warn doctors and patients of the potential dangers.
Dr. Tony Nargol, a consultant surgeon at the University Hospital of North Tees, said he first told DePuy about damaged tissue in metal-on-metal Pinnacle patients in 2008. Since then, Dr. Nargol has recalled all patients who have the Pinnacle metal-on-metal implant and he found that at least 75 of the 97Pinnacle patients already have had a failure related to metal debris.
Internal DePuy documents reviewed by the British Medical Journal show that as early as 2005, DePuy was aware of the damage that could be done to patients by metal-on metal-implants. E-mails reviewed by the British Medical Journal show that Japanese surgeons warned DePuy in 2009 that metal debris from the Pinnacle was harming patients. And in 2010, a senior DePuy executive said in an internal document that he was “concerned” about problems with the metal-on-metal Pinnacle and similar implants. “I feel the problem is emerging as more serious than first thought,” he wrote.
Despite all of this, DePuy continues to sell these implants to this day.
HIP IMPLANT RECALL CLAIMS
We currently represent people from across the country and around the world who had a DePuy ASR hip implant or a metal-on-metal Pinnacle hip implant that failed. If you or a loved one suffered an injury caused by a metal-on-metal hip implant, you may be entitled to recover damages in a lawsuit against the manufacturer.
ABOUT OUR HIP IMPLANT RECALL ATTORNEYS
We have an unparalleled depth of knowledge about hip implant litigation that comes from years representing orthopedic companies. For example, the firm’s partner, Brian Devine, worked for years at Sulzer Medica, a global manufacturer of hip and knee implants. As its Assistant General Counsel, Brian was responsible for all of the firm’s product liability cases worldwide. When the company suddenly had to recall several thousand hip and knee implants in December 2000, Brian was given lead responsibility for managing the resulting avalanche of litigation. He managed thousands of individual cases and directed attorneys in almost every state in the country. He then took a leading role in negotiating a nationwide class-action settlement which provided $1 billion in compensation to those who were injured by Sulzer Medica’s hip and knee implants.
Brian now uses his experience to help victims who are injured by orthopedic products. His legal and medical knowledge combined with the unique perspective he gained while working for a medical device company makes him a formidable adversary. Brian’s skill as an advocate is best proven by his results. In the last few years alone, he has recovered more than $20 million for a wide variety of clients. He has scored five victories in excess of $1 million, and his largest victory is a $3.7 million settlement on behalf of a single client.
We have offices in San Francisco, California. We represent injured persons nationwide through our network of experienced and dedicated attorneys.
Our description of your legal rights is not intended to constitute legal advice and is not intended to imply that any product is defective. That can only be determined through a case-specific investigation. This site is not affiliated in any way with any manufacturer of hip implants.
