DePuy Side Effects | Hip Implant Injury

Johnson & Johnson, the manufacturer of the DePuy hip replacement devices, has recalled the infamous device after a rash of complications surfaced.  Spurred by a FDA recall in 2010, patients have experienced a host of side effects associated with the hip implant that have led to numerous complaints and lawsuits.  The complications have arisen in large part due to Johnson & Johnson receiving approval though the expedited 510(k) process, which only required the company to demonstrate that the hip replacement device is substantially similar to devices already existing on the market. The problem is that although hip replacement medical devices have been available for decades, the DePuy systems are not substantially similar to those on the market.  In fact, it is reported that these hip implants fail to work at a rate of 13 percent after only five years.  Compounding matters is that the materials used to construct these hip implants have been toxic for many patients, creating potentially deadly consequences. Below is a list of some of the most common side effects associated with the DePuy Hip Replacement medical devices:

DePuy Loosening

Loosening of the implant within the hip is the most common side effect, and a giveaway sign of DePuy failure.  The implant is a metal-on-metal ball that is attached to an individual’s pelvic bone.  The hip bone is supposed to grow and attach to the metal  ball.  However, we are finding more and more that soft tissue, rather than bone are growing between the component, causing the instability. Not only does this loosening often lead to a painful revision surgery, which can lead to further complications, but it can also lead to:

• Broken bones near the implant
• Cobalt or chromium poisoning (more on this later)
• Dislocation
• Pseudotumors
• Bone deterioration

Metallosis

Technically speaking, metallosis is the result of medical debris deposited into the soft tissues of a human’s body.  In regards to DePuy Hip Implants, friction between the ball and the socket causes cobalt and chromium particles to loosen from the implant and enter a patient’s bloodstream. These toxic chemicals can have devastating effects, such as: Chromium:

• Hypersensitivity
• Inflammation
• Asthma
• Cardiomyopathy
• Hyothyroidism
• Hearing and sight impediment

Cobalt:

• Altered DNA, leading to cancer
• Neocrosis
• Harms to the nervous system
• Lowered sperm count, and genetically altered sperm
• Risk of cancer

DePuy Revision Surgery

When the DePuy implant fails to function correctly, many patients are forced to suffer through the agony of having revision implant surgery.  The process painstaking and laborious, as patients not only have to endure through the hip implant, but also removal of the old and defective device.  The effects of a revision surgery do not end there, as individuals are four times more likely to suffer from dislocations, as well as be at higher risk for infections, broken bones and hip discomfort. Also note that in an attempt to absolve themselves from future litigation, Johnson and Johnson often requests a return of the faulty implant in exchange for free revision surgery.  This is merely a malicious attempt by J&J to discard of the implant and absolve themselves of any fault.  Without the medical device, J&J will likely argue that it was doctor malpractice, or it was the patient’s fault that was responsible for the problems, and not the device.

DePuy Hip Implant Lawsuits

If you have received a DePuy hip implant and are experiencing pain or discomfort, please contact our law office to speak directly to an attorney before the statute runs