Medical Device Litigation Involving Metal-on-Metal Hip Replacement Sparks Concern

As hip replacement lawsuits continue to rise, so do serious health concerns about metal-on-metal hip replacements. According to the New York Times, a top Boston surgeon went in to replace his 53-year-old patient’s hip and found devastating results. What researchers had warned patients of years ago has finally sunk in. The patient’s metal-on-metal hip replacement had been shedding tiny pieces of metallic debris that eventually led to what looked like a “biological dead zone. There were matted strands of tissue stained gray and black; and a large strip of muscle near the hip no longer contracted.” (New York Times) The damage was far worse than test results had shown and looked to be permanent.

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Surgeons across the U.S. have found this problem to be significantly increasing with metal-on-metal hip replacements. The Boston surgeon, Dr. Young-Min Kwon stated that this could be one of the country’s biggest medical device failures yet. Though all orthopedic implants shed debris after a few years, the metal-on-metal poses a higher threat that can lead to permanent damage of the tissue, muscle and bone due to the metallic ions that are being shed. (read full article)

As studies continue to prove metal-on-metal hip replacements aren’t working properly, doctors and surgeons are trying new tests to find better results before the problem worsens. Patients are encouraged to be aggressive about consistently testing their results for metal levels and to speak to their doctors about recent recalls.

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If you believe you have had a metal-on-metal hip implant that has caused temporary or permanent damage to your tissue, muscle or bone or caused other serious health problems, don’t hesitate to contact a lawyer to discuss your legal options. At Borchardt Law Firm we have seen and dealt with many medical device litigations and we feel the work we do will continue to protect future generations of Texans. Feel free to give us a call.

Toll Free: 866.832.9300
Phone: 817.332.9300
Fax: 817.332.9301
firm@attorneysmb.com
Burnett Building
801 Cherry St #1005
Fort Worth, Texas 76102
Sources:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/01/health/01hip.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=Hip&st=cse

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