Metal on Metal Hip Replacement Attorneys
Metal-on-metal hip replacement attorneys can help patients who have been injured by a defective metal hip implant. Although metal-on-metal hip replacements are intended to be a more durable, longer term solution for joint replacement patients, they have been allegedly believed to cause a number of serious complications that often result in pain, loss of mobility, and even the need for additional surgery. Affected patients and their families may be able to pursue a claim and pursue compensation with the help of a defective medical device attorney.
If you or a loved one is experiencing problems with a metal on metal hip replacement, contact Attorney Group for information on your options. We offer free, confidential consultations, without any obligation on your part. If you choose to pursue a claim, we can connect you with affiliated metal-on-metal hip replacement attorneys who can assist you throughout the legal process.
Hip Replacement Surgery
People who experience hip problems and other complications associated with the hip joint may decide to have hip replacement surgery to alleviate pain and increase mobility when other treatment options are inadequate. Hip replacement surgery generally involves removing problematic parts of the hip joint and replacing them with metal, plastic, or ceramic materials.
Factors including a patient’s age and type of hip problem determine which procedure is to be done and what kind of materials will be used. Based on those considerations, physicians will typically choose between the following types of hip replacement procedures:
Total Hip Replacement – A total hip replacement uses an artificial joint to replace the entire hip structure.- Partial Hip Replacement – A partial hip replacement is mostly used when only one part of the hip needs treatment.
- Hip Resurfacing – Hip resurfacing may delay total hip replacement in younger patients and is often used to help with arthritis.
Metal-on-metal hip implants are often considered to be the most durable and can withstand the active lifestyles of younger patients. Metal-on-metal hip replacement implants are widely promoted by many of today’s manufacturers, however, such implants have been associated with serious complications and health risks.
Metal-on-Metal Hip Replacements Risks
Approximately 250,000 hip replacements are performed yearly in the United States. By some estimates, one-third of these use metal-on-metal implants. The ball and socket components of these devices are made with metals such as chromium and cobalt and are intended to last longer than other kinds of hip replacement systems.
Metal hip devices, however, can cause painful and often dangerous complications, including:
- Swelling and inflammation at or around the site
- Severe pain with or without movement
- Dislocation of the implant
- Deterioration of bone
- Loosening of the implant
- Metal toxicity
- Additional corrective hip implant surgeries
In some cases, the devices must be replaced within just a couple of years of the initial surgery. The procedure to replace a failed hip replacement is called a revision surgery. When metal debris is involved in a revision surgery, the replacement procedure can be more complicated with the possibility of lasting complications for some patients.
Surgeons have reportedly performed thousands of revision surgeries due to metal debris caused by metal-on-metal hip replacements, and many orthopedists have decreased their use of metal-on-metal hip implants by up to 80 percent. Instead, they are using implants made from materials other than metal-on-metal.
Other Metal-on-Metal Hip Replacement Complications
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), all artificial hip implants (including metal-on-metal) pose certain risks. In addition to the general risks associated with hip replacement devices, metal-on-metal implants pose particular risks, including:
- Release of metal particles into the tissues surrounding the implant
- Wear and corrosion at the point where the metal ball and the stem meet
- Entry of metal ions, such as cobalt and chromium, into the bloodstream
The areas surrounding the hip implant may become damaged due to the release of metal particles over a period of time, potentially collecting and seeping into a patient’s bloodstream.
This condition, known as metallosis, in addition to general device failure, has caused thousands of metal-on-metal hip replacements to need to be replaced much sooner than their expected 15 year life span.
Accumulation of metal particles can wear down the implant and possibly cause additional dangerous side effects, including:
- Confusion
- Gastrointestinal system complications
- Emotional issues
- Infections
- Dizziness and headaches
- Nervous system complications such as numbness, tingling, and burning in legs and arms
Additionally, cobalt poisoning can cause hearing, cognition or sight complications, hypothyroidism, skin rashes, tremors, and cardiomyopathy.
Metal on Metal Hip Replacement Lawyers
Metal on metal hip replacement lawyers are working with clients to help them recover compensation for injuries related to the following hip replacement systems:
- APEX Arc Hip Replacement Lawyer
- Apex K2 Hip Implant Lawsuit
- Biomet Hip Replacement Attorneys
- DePuy ASR Hip Recall Attorneys
- DePuy Pinnacle Hip Replacement Lawyer
- Emperion Hip Implant Lawsuit
- Encore Hip Implant Lawsuit
- Smith & Nephew R-3 Recall Attorneys
- Smith & Nephew REDAPT Recall Lawsuit
- Stryker Accolade Lawsuit
- Stryker Hip Recall Attorneys
- Stryker Hip Recall Lawyers
- Stryker V40 Femoral Head Lawsuit
- Wright Conserve Hip Replacement Attorney
- Zimmer Durom Cup Hip Recall Attorneys
- Zimmer Kinectiv Hip Recall Lawsuit
(888) 888-0612
Lauren A. on May 16, 2016
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How Metal on Metal Hip Replacement Attorneys Can Help
Medical device makers have a duty to provide safe products. If there are risks of harm associated with their devices, they also must provide adequate warnings. If a device maker fails to fulfill this duty, it could be held liable in lawsuits for injuries that may result.
People injured by a defective metal-on-metal hip replacement may be eligible to recover money for:
- Medical Expenses
- Lost Wages
- Pain and Suffering
The families of those killed may be eligible to recover money for funeral expenses and the pain that comes with losing a loved one.
