DePuy ASR Recall
In August 2010, DePuy ASR recall was made after it was discovered that these hip implants were failing in patients who had them implanted for up to 5 years. There are two systems of ASR hip replacements involved, the DePuy ASR Hip Resurfacing System and the DePuy ASR XL Acetabular Hip System. It is estimated that about 93,000 devices were sold before the recall and in the U.S., over 10,000 people with the defective implants have filed a suit against DePuy Orthopaedics. If you or a loved one has suffered pain, swelling, metallosis or early device failure from a DePuy ASR hip implant, you may be able to receive compensation. Contact attorneys at Alabama Attorney Group to see what steps you need to take to file your claim.
Reason for the Recall
DePuy ASR hip replacements are metal-on-metal hip implants that include a ball and cup that is made from chromium-cobalt alloy. This is an issue because of the metal ions that are shed from the metal on metal friction, which causes metallosis – a tissue reaction that kills off tissue, causes bone loss and forms pseudotumors, or masses that are filled with fluid. The design flaw of the ASR is due to a groove that is created when surgeons press tools against an area during implantation. This allows the ball to hit the cup’s edge which increases the rate of wear more so than other hip implants. These implants were approved via a process that does not require clinical tests on humans. This recall got the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) to perform a safety review of metal hips and has since put in place a new rule that reclassifies such devices to be “high risk”. It is advised by the FDA that doctors perform additional medical tests for patients who received a metal on metal hip implant who are suffering from symptoms such as pain, swelling near the hip, difficulty in walking or sounds from the hip joint. If it has been more than 3 months since your surgery to implant one of these recalled DePuy hip implants and you are suffering from any of these symptoms, you should contact your doctor to ensure proper implant function.
Filing a DePuy ASR Recall Claim
Since the recall, many have filed suit against DePuy stating that they failed to test the implants properly and did not adequately warn doctors and patients of the risks. Certain documents have been discovered concerning that internal analysis revealed these implants may have a 40% fail rate within 5 years of implantation, yet the public was never notified of this. It was also found that DePuy knew of problems with ASR hips nearly 2 years before the recall.
If you or a loved one has suffered from a DePuy ASR hip implant, you may be entitled to receive compensation for damages such as lost wages, pain and suffering, medical bills, among others. If you are a victim of a DePuy ASR recall, contact Alabama Attorney Group to evaluate your case and determine if filing a lawsuit is right for you.
