Arkansas Wright Conserve Hip Replacement Attorneys
The loss of mobility that comes with painful hip joints can be disheartening. After a certain amount of joint damage occurs, hip replacement surgery becomes necessary. As the baby boomer generation moves into their senior years, the number of people needing hip replacement surgery grows with each passing year and, consequently, so does the number Arkansas Wright Conserve hip replacement attorneys.
The Wright Conserve hip replacement system has received multiple complaints from recipients regarding complications with the device. In the unfortunate event of post-surgery problems, Arkansas Wright Conserve hip replacement attorneys can help protect you from being a victim of unfair treatment under the law.
Post-Surgery Complications
The Wright Conserve Hip replacement system uses a metal-on-metal design made up of a metal ball and cup. These components are meant to replace the femoral head of the thigh bone and joint socket. Made out of chromium and cobalt metals, the device design was advertised to be stronger and more durable than its competitors. Much like an earlier recall of the ASR hip implant device, the Wright Conserve model lacked a protective lining between its ball and cup components.
This lack of a protective lining allows the metal ball and cup to grind together whenever the joint moves. Friction between the metal surfaces causes metal flakes to enter the tissue and bone areas that surround the joint. After a while, tissue and bone structures start to deteriorate from exposure to metal debris. When this happens, implant recipients may experience the following symptoms:
- Swelling
- Pain
- Problems walking
- Problems standing
For some recipients, the device has fractured and even shattered with ongoing use. Other complications involve actual metal poisoning in cases where metal debris has entered the bloodstream. Considering the potential for far-reaching complications, if you’ve experienced any of these symptoms, Arkansas Wright Conserve hip replacement attorneys can help you recover from undeserved medical costs caused by a faulty device.
Ongoing Medical Problems
In cases where a Wright Conserve implant starts to breakdown, recipients are placed at risk of any number of serious medical problems. People have developed infections at the implant site. Some have experienced tissue necrosis as affected tissue areas die off. Others may develop pseudotumors caused by metal contamination.
In instances where the device breaks down altogether, recipients have had to undergo hip revision surgeries. In essence, a hip revision surgery actually involves replacing the hip joint all over again. This procedure typically requires an even longer recuperation period as surgeons have less original bone and tissue material with which to attach the implant. Inevitably, patients suffer through painful and drawn out recovery periods.
On average, any brand of hip replacement system should last a minimum of 10 years. The Wright Conserve hip replacement systems have seen an 11.2 percent revision rate within three years of the initial surgery, meaning one in 12 recipients will require hip revision surgery within the first three years. Arkansas Wright Conserve hip replacement attorneys have played an active role in helping hundreds of implant recipients file and win lawsuits against Wright Conserve manufacturers.
FDA Involvement
FDA approval for the Wright Conserve hip replacement system was granted as of 2003. In some instances, manufacturers can streamline the approval process if similar product designs already exist in the marketplace. Under these conditions, manufacturers are not required to conduct pre-market safety tests on their product designs. This is the path Wright Conserve took when seeking approval for their hip replacement system.
Since 2003, the FDA has received hundreds of reports involving adverse events caused by the Wright Conserve implant device. Not surprisingly, many recipients have file lawsuits through Arkansas Wright Conserve hip replacement attorneys claiming the manufacturer failed to properly test the device before releasing it to the market. Claims regarding the manufacturer’s failure to properly warn patients of potential dangers have also been filed.
Wright Conserve Recall
Wright Medical Technology, Inc., the manufacturer of the Wright Conserve system, has been in the joint implant business since 1950 with 60 percent of the company’s profits made from hip and knee replacement devices. In an attempt to address the mounting complaints filed against their device, Wright Medical recalled the Conserve system to correct defects in the product design. Once returned to the market, the FDA continued to receive reports of problems with the device. If you or someone you know have encountered problems with this model implant, the sooner you contact Arkansas Wright Conserve hip replacement attorneys the less likely you’ll be left to deal with mounting medical costs with nowhere to turn for help.
Get Legal Help from Attorney Group for Arkansas
As one of the top Arkansas Wright Conserve hip replacement attorneys groups, the American Injury Attorney Group continues to fight for the rights of those affected by faulty hip implant devices. Medical malpractice suits involve a range of legal complexities that only experienced attorneys can navigate effectively. Clients have received due compensation for such issues as:
- Lost wages
- Medical costs
- Compensation for possible future medical expenses
- Extemporaneous costs, such as home care, child care, pain and suffering etc.
Speak with one of Attorney Group for Arkansas’s affiliated Arkansas Wright Conserve hip replacement attorneys to see if you have grounds to file a lawsuit against Wright Conserve manufacturers. Contact us today.