There is new information regarding the DePuy hip replacement problem that has been in the news for the past couple of years. It is important information for anyone that has received or had a family member receive a DePuy hip replacement. If you have ever had pain in one or both hips, you know how excruciating that pain can be. Hip replacement surgery is supposed to alleviate the pain. But when hip replacements fail, they may cause additional harm, including dislocation and infection, not to mention even more pain. More surgeries may be needed.
Two hip replacement systems used by the DePuy Orthopedics, Inc. has caused injury including making the pain worse for some patients. You may have read or heard about it. However, the problem may be more widespread than originally thought.
On March 9, 2011, the results of a study conducted by the British Orthopedic Association in conjunction with the British Hip Society were released. The conclusion was startling. Data from four surgeons revealed that 49 percent of all those who received a DePuy ASR XL hip replacement are likely to need a second, revision surgery within six years of the implant date. In other words, according to the study, nearly half of the replacements failed within six years of surgery.
The systems made by DePuy, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, first became available in 2003. The United States Food and Drug Administration reported more than 500 complaints from patients in 2008 and 2009. The British study nearly quadrupled the failure rate of a study DePuy itself conducted in 2010. The orthopedics company had cited a 12 to 13 percent failure rate in patients within five years of having the surgery. That’s twice the industry average, and meant that approximately one in every eight patients with this hip replacement needed a second hip replacement surgery. Again, the March 2011 study released by British authorities is much higher.
Initially, when complaints from patients started being reported, DePuy tried to attribute the problems to mistakes by doctors and and poor patient screening. However, in August 2010, DePuy finally admitted the systems were defective, and issued a voluntary recall. The recall includes the DePuy ASR Hip Resurfacing system and the ASR XL Acetabular Cup System. DePuy is facing numerous lawsuits due to the defective devices and the company’s conduct. DePuy estimated that more than 93,000 patients world-wide had hip replacements involving the recalled devices. Accordingly, all DePuy patients need to be monitored closely for any side effects. See your surgeon regularly for check-ups.
People that received a defective device should be able to recover for its replacement as well as all of their pain, suffering, mental anguish, and lost wages, not to mention any scarring or disfigurement. However, patients only have a limited amount of time to file a claim before they are prevented from seeking compensation. If you or a loved one had a DePuy hip replacement and experienced problems, call your defective products attorneys at John Bales Attorneys. Our toll-free number is 1-800-CALL-JOHN (1-800-225-5564). We also invite you to fill out the free case evaluation form on our website JohnBales.com by clicking here.
