Hip replacement surgeries became controversial due to defective hip prostheses like the ones manufactured by DePuy Orthopaedics Inc. DePuy is a subsidiary company of Johnson & Johnson (J&J). DePuy Orthopaedics, Inc. is recently being charged with various lawsuits filed by law firms in UK, US and Australia, in behalf of patients who underwent hip replacement operations. It is possible that the hip replacement lawsuit statute of limitations will run out. Statutes of limitations are designed to ensure that claims are filed promptly and that parties do not have to litigate issues based on old documents and potentially faulty memories.
There are around 98,000 recipients, including 37,000 in the US alone, of the ASR XL Acetabular System and the ASR Hip Resurfacing System worldwide. After the release of data presenting that these devices fail prematurely in one out of eight patients, the two devices were recalled. The manufacturing and marketing of these two devices started in 2003.
The Australian marketed DePuy devices were pulled off in December 2009. The global recall of these products was announced in August 2010.
On January 26, 2011, U.S. District Judge David A. Katz in Toledo, Ohio, appointed the claimants’ executive committee after dozens of lawyers vied for the positions of leading federal litigation against Johnson & Johnson (J&J) over recalled devices used in hip-replacement surgeries. This was reported by Bloomberg. The claimants were the ones affected by the failures and defects (e.g. fractures, displacements, loosening) of DePuy devices.
As of March 31, 2011, Johnson and Johnson had committed $280 million as a response to the recalls. The company also pledged to “address reasonable and customary costs associated with testing and treatment,” including new hips for those who need them.
The symptoms of a defective hip implant are swelling, pain bearing weight, pain when rising from a seated position, pain while walking, pain on the thigh or groin area, and pain on the hip area.
Even in the absence of any of these hip replacement symptoms, one should see a doctor for a check-up for regular assessment. With DePuy hip replacement lawsuit piling up globally, DePuy should pay attention to these the hip replacement problems experienced by its patients. It should circulate a wide range of information regarding malfunctioning hip replacement symptoms so that clients may be provided with due medical attention. To avoid much adverse effects, hip replacement problems should be dealt with immediately.
References:
- bloomberg.com/news/2010-09-03/johnson-johnson-sued-over-recalled-implanted-hip-replacement-devices.html
- arthritistoday.org/news/asr-depuy-hip-replacement-recall078.php
- nursinghomesabuseblog.com/defective-products/defects-with-depuy-hip-replacement-hardware-may-be-responsible-for-complications-following-hip-surgury/
