However, DePuy’s hip replacement systems made headlines in the fall of 2010 when a recall was issued for the malfunctioning ASR device because of its tendency to fail prematurely. Over 1,300 complaints have also been received by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) concerning the Pinnacle device, with a significant number of these complaints focused on the device loosening from the bone, causing device failure. To date, a DePuy Pinnacle recall has not been implemented despite the growing number of problems associated with the device. Recently, a product liability lawsuit was filed against DePuy claiming that a Pinnacle recall should have been implemented as early as 2003.
DePuy’s ASR and Pinnacle systems are both categorized as metal-on-metal hip replacement devices. The recently recalled ASR XL Acetabular System and the ASR Hip Resurfacing System were not obligated to pre-market testing because of their substantial equivalence to the DePuy Pinnacle device. These devices differ from typical hip replacement systems that involve a synthetic plastic liner inside the socket part of the synthetic joint since they are equipped with a metal liner instead. Metal hip replacements are also supposed to last longer, and are ideal for younger patients wanting to maintain an active lifestyle after hip replacement surgery.
According to the New York Times, metal-on-metal devices, like the ASR and Pinnacle systems, carry the risk of metal toxicity in recipients of these devices.Since the metal components of these devices undergo constant friction, metal particles are released into the blood stream and surrounding tissue causing pain and other numerous adverse effects.
The most recent studies have claimed that the failure rates in these defective devices are worse than originally indicated. There are two major orthopedic organizations in the United Kingdom claiming that out of the 93,000 people that have received DePuy implants, half of these implants will fail after only 6 years. Thousands of lives around the world could be affected. All these similarities to the ASR hip replacement system support the fact that a DePuy Pinnacle recall is inevitable.
In the past, DePuy has allocated as much as $1 billion for those suffering from their defective devices. If you have been harmed by a defective hip replacement, go after the compensation you are entitled to. Visit the DePuy Pinnacle recall website for a free consultation with an experienced lawyer.
Tags: arthritis, Legal, recall, Surgery
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