Is another hip implant recall going to happen soon?
This week, a team of researchers from Bristol University in England published an article in The Lancet medical journal regarding the safety of metal-on-metal hip implants. They concluded that all metal-on-metal hip implants are unsafe and should not be implanted in patients.
Their hip implant survival study, which was funded by the National Joint Registry of England and Wales, studied the survival of over 400,000 hip implants that were performed between 2003 and 2011. The implant surgeries were performed by more than 2,500 doctors and at 447 hospitals.
The results of this study clearly show that metal-on-metal hip implants are significantly more dangerous than other types of hip implants, such as metal on polyethylene or ceramic on polyethylene. For example, the data showed that even when the recalled ASR implants were excluded, all other metal-on-metal articulations still had a five-year revision rate of 6.2%. They concluded that metal-on-metal implants fail more quickly and a a much higher rate than any other type of bearing surface.
The data also showed that metal-on-metal hip implants are more dangerous in women than in men. However, both men and women have higher revision rates with metal-on-metal implants than any other type of bearing surface.
As a result of this research, the authors concluded that:
Metal-on-metal stemmed articulations give poor implant survival compared with other options and should not be implanted. All patients with these bearings should be carefully monitored, particularly young women implanted with large diameter heads.
The Lancet is one of the oldest and most respected peer-reviewed medical journals in the world, and many doctors look to it for guidance on the latest scientific developments.
The data from this study provides even more evidence that DePuy’s Pinnacle metal-on-metal hip implant should be recalled. We believe this implant is unsafe and has injured thousands of people. So far, more than 1,000 lawsuits have been filed against DePuy alleging injuries caused by the Pinnacle hip implant. Nevertheless, the FDA has not yet forced DePuy to recall this product.
We hope that the latest article regarding the dangers of metal-on-metal hips will help educate doctors about the risks of these devices so that they can provide the best treatment options for their patients. We also hope that this data causes the FDA to finally pay attention to the risks of these implants and force the manufacturers of all metal-on-metal hips to recall their products from the market.
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.
