Recent developments in the hip replacement
industry have pointed to a DePuy Orthopaedics manufactured hip replacement line
recognized to have problems akin to the ASR XL Acetabular System and the ASR
Hip Resurfacing System. In August 2010, both latter products were
subjected to a recall. And now, there’s another DePuy-manufactured hip
replacement system known as Pinnacle Solution (also identified in the market as
the Pinnacle Acetabular Cup System) that is causing problem for hip replacement
patients. The device is known to have the same problem with its ASR
counterparts.
Pinnacle Solution’s metal-on-metal hip replacement allegedly produces metal particles that cause pain, inflammation and nerve damage to its users. For the record, there have been 500 complaints received by the United States FDA. These complaints claim that the device has had severe effects on the recipients, enough to launch a DePuy Pinnacle lawsuit.
Unfortunately, recalls are yet to be made on the Depuy Pinnacle
units. The number of individuals who have received a defective Pinnacle device
aggravates the situation since the rate of failure, such as the ones the ASR
hip replacements have, remains unknown. The possibility of another hip
replacement recall is not far from happening. Presently, there are individuals
who have already filed a lawsuit on Depuy Pinnacle’s manufacturer.
Noted on the aforementioned Depuy line of hip replacement devices were reports of health complications, ranging from moderate to severe, resulting from the use of these defective hip replacement systems designed and made by Johnson & Johnson’s subsidiary. The recall of the first two devices was launched after the National Joint Registry for England and Wales made data available to the industry. It showed that 12-13 percent of ASR recipients would be required one or more corrective surgeries within just five years of receiving the first hip replacement procedure. It has to be noted that a hip replacement device has an average durability of about 15-20 years. Those affected by the said devices reported having pain, swelling, and stiffness in the hip area. They also experienced difficulty walking and dislocation. Extreme cases were reported that some patients registered high cobalt and chromium ions concentrations in their body. Such condition could lead to metal poisoning, aka metallosis. Orthopedic specialists also reported that the devices’ poor design has caused nerve damage to the recipients.
