Are Hip Implants Safe?

 Posted on August 11, 2013 in Food Poisoning

When it comes to medical devices that have been in the news, defective hip implants have been a constant player. Lawsuits surrounding hip implants have pointed out numerous weaknesses in the devices geared to help people, including complications requiring additional surgeries and even metal poisoning from implants that have broken down and released dangerous substances into the body.

A new lawsuit surged forth in July against Stryker, a company making hip implants that have been used across the country. This lawsuit was filed in Michigan by plaintiff Giniva Luque. The plaintiff alleges that she has had two different hip replacement surgeries, both involving Stryker hip replacement devices. Her hip implant surgeries happened in March, 2011, and September, 2012.

The patient, like many others who have raised concerns about the safety of hip implant devices, says that she experienced serious pain and discomfort in her body surrounding the area where the implants were added. Luque says she will have to schedule revision surgery for both hips to remove the faulty implants and put operable ones in instead.

The system, known as Stryker Rejuvenate, was approved by the FDA in 2008, although a voluntary recall was issues in 2012 for the modular-neck sterns of Rejuvenate and ABG II devices. Fretting and corrosion were the primary reasons that the recall was initiated, although many patients had already gone into surgery to receive the faulty devices. The use of these devices has been linked to blood poisoning as the metal and ions are released into nearby tissue and the patient's bloodstream.

The complications of a defective medical device can be devastating, particularly when pain and suffering accompany the patient's woes. If you or someone you know has experienced problems with their defective hip replacement or other medical device, reach out to an Illinois personal injury lawyer for a case evaluation.