Have You Had a Defective DePuy Hip Replacement?

Defective DePuy Hip Replacements (Johnson & Johnson)

Overview
Recent Developments
Frequently Asked Questions
Contact a Parker | Scheer Attorney

Overview

On August 26, 2010, DePuy Orthopaedics, Inc., a Johnson & Johnson company, issued a voluntary recall of its DePuy ASR XL Acetabular System and its DePuy ASR Hip Resurfacing System. The DePuy ASR XL Acetabular System had been approved for use in the United States in 2005 and was being used in total hip replacements throughout the country. It is estimated that over 90,000 patients in the United States have had this system implanted in their bodies. The ASR XL Acetabular System is alleged to be have been defectively designed and manufactured and is alleged to be associated with serious health risks – as well as the risk of the hip replacement failing – in those patients who have received the implant.

Information to date reveals that DePuy Orthopaedics may have known about the many issues related to these two systems, but failed to correct those issues or to warn surgeons or patients about the risks associated with the systems. The product’s defects can result in hip replacement failure, bone fractures, dislocation of the implant, and loosening of the implant. In addition, the components of the implant create friction when the patient moves her hip, causing metal debris to be released into the body, leading to serious health issues including bone and tissue damage, and cobalt poisoning.

DePuy ASR XL Acetabular System implants have been increasingly failing since 2005. Often, patients with the highest rate of failure are active women with small body frames. However, all patients implanted with the DePuy ASR XL Acetabular System are at risk for product failure and adverse health issues.

If you or a loved one have been implanted with the DePuy ASR XL Acetabular System during a total hip replacement surgery, schedule a free consultation with a member of Parker | Scheer’s Complex Personal Injury Group. See our Frequently Asked Questions section for more information.

Recent Developments:

December 3, 2010 – The Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation has consolidated all cases concerning products liability claims against DePuy Orthopaedics, Inc. for the ASR XL Acetabular System in the Northern District of Ohio before Judge David A. Katz. All cases filed in federal court will be transferred to the Northern District of Ohio for pre-trial purposes.

Frequently Asked Questions:

1. What is the product that was recalled?On August 26, 2010, DePuy Orthopaedics, Inc. issued a voluntary recall of its ASR XL Acetabular System, and its ASR Hip Resurfacing System. The ASR Hip Resurfacing System was not approved for sale in the United States, so the likely product that concerns U.S. patients is the ASR XL Acetabular System.The DePuy ASR XL Acetabular System is a metal-on-metal total hip replacement system that was implanted in patients who required a total hip replacement. This system was used in the United States between August 2005 and August 2010.The system consists of three components: a metal acetabular cup, a unipolar femoral head, and a taper sleeve adaptor. The acetabular cup is implanted in the hip socket, and the taper sleeve adaptor is implanted in the femur. The femoral head is implanted within the taper sleeve adaptor, and its size corresponds to fit the acetabular cup.Generally, these three components have been implanted together as the ASR XL Acetabular System. However, in some cases, one or two of these components have been implanted in patients without the remaining components that make up the system. Because the components are individually defective, having one or two components without the third may give rise to a claim.
2. How do I know if my hip replacement surgeon used the DePuy ASR XL Acetabular System?Contact the office of the surgeon who performed your hip replacement surgery, in writing, and request copies of your medical records. Those medical records will reveal exactly what product your surgeon implanted in you.
3. What makes the DePuy ASR XL Acetabular System so bad?The DePuy ASR XL Acetabular System was designed and manufactured defectively, resulting in two major risks to patients: product failure due to dislocation, and systemic toxicity and related health risks arising from the use of the implant.The design of the acetabular cup allows for a greater risk of dislocation. Dislocation can result in the need to undergo hip revision surgery, requiring the patient to withstand the pain of surgery and prolonged recovery time for a second time. Other complications caused by the DePuy ASR XL Acetabular System decrease the success rate of revision surgeries, and sometimes additional revision surgeries are required.The design of the acetabular cup together with the design of the femoral head creates metal-on-metal friction, resulting in metallic particles (chromium and cobalt) being released into the tissue surrounding the implant and into a patient’s bloodstream. The tapered neck junction also allows for this type of corrosion and also produces metallic debris into the patient’s body.Metallic debris in your system could result in a number of health issues, including but not limited to:
   • Aseptic Lymphocystic Vasculitis Associated Lesions (localized hypersensitivity to metal wear debris);
   • Osteolysis (loss of bone around the implant);
   • Metallosis (deposits of metal shavings in the tissue around the hip, causing groin or thigh pain, instability, tissue necrosis, and bone deterioration);
   • Systemic toxicity (severe anemia, blood issues, organ functioning issues, exacerbated immune system issues, heart concerns);
   • Damage to the central nervous system, including dementia, memory loss, neurological degeneration, visual and audio issues;
   • Birth defects for fetuses;
   • Soft tissue reactions and pseudotumors
   • Increased risk of leukemia and other cancers;
   • Early vasculitis;
   • Increased hip pain.
4. What should I do if I think I have the DePuy ASR XL Acetabular System in my body?Contact a member of the Parker | Scheer Complex Personal Injury Group, toll-free, 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, at . Parker | Scheer never charges a fee for your initial case evaluation.It is also helpful if you obtain a copy of your medical records from the surgeon who performed your hip replacement surgery. These records should include all office notes, hospital records from the surgery, x-ray and MRI films, and blood tests.In addition, you may want to contact your surgeon or physician to discuss undergoing revision surgery. According to studies, prolonged presence of the DePuy ASR XL Acetabular System in your body may increase the risk of adverse health risks.
5. What if I already had the implant removed?Parker | Scheer recommends that you contact an attorney before you undergo a revision surgery so that your attorney can ensure that the evidence from your initial surgery is preserved and retained. However, if you have already had your DePuy ASR XL Acetabular System removed and replaced, you may still have a valid claim. Contact a member of the Parker | Scheer Complex Personal Injury Group today.
6. Is my surgeon responsible for this?Absent extreme circumstances, Parker | Scheer is not pursuing claims against the surgeons who implanted the DePuy ASR XL Acetabular System or against the physicians who may have recommended the system. Parker | Scheer is generally pursuing claims only against the parties involved in the design, manufacture, and sale of the DePuy ASR XL Acetabular System.

Contact a Parker | Scheer Attorney

Contact a member of the Parker | Scheer Complex Personal Injury Group, toll free, 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, at . Parker | Scheer never charges a fee for your initial case evaluation.
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