Pittsburgh PA Defective DePuy Hip Replacement Attorney

DePuy Hip Replacement Recall Lawyers

The defective surgical device lawyers at Dallas W. Hartman, P.C. keep themselves well-researched in the area of hip replacement recalls. With the onslaught of these recalls over the past few years, Dallas W. Hartman, P.C., Attorneys at Law, have been in constant contact with prospective clients who have suffered from the ill effects of the ASR Hip Resurfacing System and the ASR XL Acetabular System hip replacement devices manufactured by DePuy Orthopaedics Incorporated.

In late August 2010, DePuy (a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson) announced that it was recalling two of its top selling hip replacement devices. Respective studies found new data which compelled the recall of the ASR Hip Resurfacing System and the ASR XL Acetabular System. Researchers found that far more patients than expected were experiencing debilitating pain and injuries which most often required corrective revision surgery shortly after the initial replacement. In addition, studies have shown that both DePuy hip replacement surgical devices, which uses metal-on-metal components, can often cause metallosis, a condition involving the build-up of metal debris in the soft tissue, muscles, and joints of the body as the parts grind against one another.

If you or someone you care for has been implanted with either one of these DePuy hip replacement devices, contacting the defective surgical device attorneys at Dallas W. Hartman, P.C. and speaking to an experienced lawyer will provide you with the insight you need into filing a claim with DePuy Orthopaedics and possibly getting recompense for the pain, suffering, and injuries you have endured.

ASR and ASR XL Acetabular defective device symptoms

People who have reported problems with their DePuy ASR and ASR XL Acetabular hip replacement systems most often complain of extreme pain, inflammation, swelling, and difficulty pushing off when walking. Other symptoms such as groin pain, pain when standing, and thigh pain can also be attributed to a failing hip replacement system.

If you have experienced any of these symptoms and you are a DePuy hip replacement patient, it is imperative that you speak to the surgeon that performed the surgery and your orthopedist. Symptoms such as the ones above may be due to a failing ASR or ASR XL Acetabular hip replacement system and the sooner you can get the help and corrective revision surgery you need the better.

Internal metal poisoning from DePuy hip replacement devices

Because the ASR and ASR XL Acetabular hip replacement systems have metal-on-metal components, medical experts and researchers believe that, as the patient moves his or her hips, the metal parts grind together, thus causing metallic debris to corrode and flake off, building up in the patient’s soft tissue and pelvic joints. This build-up of debris causes serious inflammation that can lead to muscle and tissue injuries. In some of the worst scenarios, patients have suffered from osteonecrosis or avascular necrosis, otherwise known as bone tissue death.

In past popular hip replacement devices, with less moving parts, this was avoided by replacing the original hip device with a new one as the patient got older. Patients could sometimes go as long as ten years without getting a new hip. With these DePuy hip replacement systems, early failure of the product is exponentially more common and revision surgery is far more difficult for surgeons if muscle, tissue, and bone damage are prevalent at the time of the operation.

Furthermore, there have been high levels of cobalt found in patients who received ASR and ASR XL Acetabular hip replacements. Cobalt poisoning, otherwise known as cobaltism, is an incapacitating condition that can lead to thyroid problems, heart disease, neurological failure, severe headaches, seizures, blindness, deafness, vertigo, and a constant ringing of the ears.

The body will attempt to fight low doses of cobalt, but patients with any kind of impaired kidney functioning run an even greater risk of developing cobaltism. One of the worst issues surrounding cobaltism is that there are often no symptoms of hip pain as the debilitating conditions begin to infest themselves, rendering people virtually clueless as to why they are suffering until they see a specialist.

Odds are that at least 12.5% of DePuy hip replacement systems fail

A recent European study has revealed that within the first five years that the DePuy ASR and ASR XL Acetabular hip replacement systems are implanted, it is likely that every one in eight patients will require corrective revision surgery. Initially, Johnson & Johnson estimated that around 7500 people have been implanted with either of the two defective devices. Now, they are estimating it is closer to ten thousand. Some researchers think that number is much greater.

Call Dallas W. Hartman, P.C. today for a free consultation

If you are a patient who has been implanted with either of these DePuy hip replacement systems and you feel you have suffered due to the negligence of the manufacturer, then please call Dallas W. Hartman, P.C. today to speak to a defective surgical device attorney about your possible claim. You may be eligible to recover compensation for lost wages from missed time at work, medical expenses, and pain and suffering.

Although DePuy did voluntarily recall their devices and presented a settlement to patients, chances are that the money offered was not enough to cover the cost of your medical expenses, the time you missed at work, and the overall pain and suffering you have had to endure.

By calling our defective device lawyers at Dallas W. Hartman, P.C., you will be making the conscious decision to get top tier representation from a successfully proven firm. Call our offices at (toll free) 1-800-777-4081, or send us an email describing your complaint by clicking here, and take the first step to getting the compensation you deserve as a victim of the manufacturing negligence of Johnson & Johnson’s DePuy Orthopaedics Incorporated. Remember, the attorney you choose DOES make a difference. Call Dallas W. Hartman, P.C. today.