People who elect to have hip or knee replacement surgery expect a reasonable amount of pain relief and increased range of motion as a result of these invasive procedures. Given the advances in medical device technology, there is no reason to think otherwise.

However, some defective medical devices are not living up to their promise to help. Instead, they are responsible for metal-on-metal injuries that are unnecessarily causing serious pain and risks.
What are Metal on Metal Injuries?
Grinding of metal-on-metal defective hip and knee implants has been shown to sometimes release microscopic pieces of metal into surrounding bone, tissue and even the bloodstream. As a result, the implant may loosen, requiring revision surgery.

The different knee and hip replacement devices that have failed over the years have created issues such as serious pain, difficulty walking, infections and a myriad of other problems. In addition to the pain and suffering, victims must undergo revisionist surgery – costing them physically, financially, and emotionally.
Defective Medical Devices That Cause More Harm than Good
Some of the most well-known hip and knee replacement cases in recent years have been against products from the following companies: DePuy, Zimmer (NexGen knee replacement) and Stryker. In every case, the devices failed to perform as designed and often caused metal on metal injuries.

  • DePuy recalled two of its hip replacement systems with metal on metal components after thousands of patients complained of a wide variety of issues, including pain when weight is applied, difficulty walking, loosening, inflammation and tumors. Many patients have been forced to undergo painful revision surgeries to correct the problem.
  • Zimmer distributed a series of knee replacement systems that appear to have a much higher failure rate than industry averages. The failure of the Zimmer knees resulted in additional knee pain, loosening, less stability and, often, the need for painful revision surgeries.
  • Stryker Corporation increased reports of metal injuries in its non-metal-on-metal hip replacement system called the Rejuvenate Hip Implant System. Metal injuries were found at the location where the metal modular stem meets the metal neck of the device.

Metal-on-Metal Injury Victims Need Qualified Legal Representation
Because many hip replacement patients are unaware of the type of implant used when they have surgery, the Defective Medical Device Attorneys at Babbitt & Johnson, P.A. are investigating potential lawsuits in Florida and nationwide for individuals who experienced problems after a surgery.

Medical device injuries don’t have to go unanswered. Consumers may have a lawsuit and recourse against the designer, manufacturer, or distributor of the faulty medical device.

If you or a loved one has suffered as the result of a defective knee or hip replacement, speaking to an experienced defective medical device attorney can help you understand what your rights and legal options are.
Additional resource/article:

Share Care article: http://www.sharecare.com/health/bone-joint-injuries/what-are-metal-joint-implants