New Lawsuit Lodged Against Stryker in Illinois

A new lawsuit against the Stryker Orthopaedics was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois on September 4, 2013. The plaintiff Robert Rodene was implanted with the Stryker Rejuvenate device in November 2011. According to the plaintiff, the company failed to disclose the “risks and serious side effects” linked with the recalled hip implants of Stryker.

Rodene suffered from pain and discomfort in his left hip after his hip replacement surgery. Laboratory tests revealed that there was an increased level of metal ions in his bloodstream due to the hip device’s corrosion. With this, Rodene would need to undergo a revision surgery to remove and replace the device.

This lawsuit is among several other court charges filed against the company due to the safety issues of the devices involved in the Stryker hip recall.

 Read More: Stryker Rejuvenate Lawsuit Filed in Federal Court in Illinois

Rottenstein Law Group Encouraged by Recommendation for Hip Replacement Recipients to Visit Doctors Amid Report of $390 Million Stryker Hip Recall Cost Estimate

The Rottenstein Law Group, which represents clients with claims stemming from the failures of defective hip replacement devices manufactured and sold by various companies—including Stryker Corp—is encouraged by the recent Reuters report about a recommendation of the company that all recipients of its recalled Rejuvenate and ABG II devices see a doctor, even if no symptoms of harm are present.

(PRWEB) January 11, 2013

The Rottenstein Law Group is encouraged by hip replacement system maker Stryker's recommendation this week that all recipients of its recalled Rejuvenate and ABG II devices see a doctor, even if no symptoms of harm are present.

According to a Wednesday Reuters report, Stryker Corp has announced that the recall of two of the company’s hip implant device that began last June “will cost $190 million to $390 million for patient testing and treatment, new surgeries, lawsuits and insurance payments.”

Read full story at PRWeb: Rottenstein Law Group Encouraged by Recommendation for Hip Replacement Recipients to Visit Doctors Amid Report of $390 Million Stryker Hip Recall Cost Estimate

Looking into Stryker Recall for Artificial Hip Replacement System Failure

One orthopedic device manufacturer that produces artificial hip systems has issued the latest Stryker hip replacement recall of implants having the modular-neck hip stem attachments causing critical side effects from component loosening indicating muscle pains from swollen soft tissues. Even way before until the present, several versions of Stryker hip systems are being concluded for a number of recall orders. The U.S Food and Drug Administration gave an approval to the recent model of Stryker metal-on-metal hip systems even with the dismissal of earlier versions.

All Rejuvenate Modular and ABG II Modular-Neck hip stems are included in the product recall. After-sales evaluation has indicated the possibility of corroding device and easy wear down which consequently made the company to voluntarily issue the device recall. The United States FDA verified the claims of critical side effects. The adjustable hip stem component included with the hip implant system will add device flexibility. The doctors can adjust the device depending on the patient’s physique. Stryker has promised the device to be durable from the frequent rubbing of its neck and stem attachments. Deciding for a hip replacement surgery should be fully evaluated by the patient, his or her family, and the physician. The physician should be able to recommend for orthopedic surgeons who can further evaluate if a hip replacement implant is really necessary.

Surgery specialist should take in to consideration several health aspects prior to the recommendation of an artificial hip implant. Even if the average groups who need hip replacements are within the ages of 60 to 80 years old, age is not considered as a factor compared to other previously reported side effects. As a matter of fact, several patients below the age of 60 are considering the hip replacements to be able to fully keep up the active way of life. Metallosis, tissue inflammation, and other related complications caused by the Stryker hip devices became the precursor of increasing legal cases for defective medical devices. Some allegations also presented serious heart and circulatory problems.

Most of the legal complaints being raised after the Stryker hip recall are saying that the company failed to provide enough details informing the patients about the possible side effects. Plaintiffs against Stryker hip implants said that they could not have preferred the hip device if enough warning signs were given.

The latest device recall involving modular neck hip stem metal-on-metal hip component is expected to gather increasing number of legal complaints against Stryker Orthopedics.

URL Reference: livestrong.com/article/207903-most-common-side-effects-after-hip-replacement-surgery/

Why One Might Use Two or More Hip Replacements in A Lifetime?

Hip replacement is one of the joint replacement procedures that are mostly performed in orthopedics.  However, this is not a once-in-a-life-time surgical intervention.   Each patient who has had a joint implant knows that in a few decades the device will have to be replaced.   This happens because being artificial, these prosthetic devices could not act like its genuine counterparts for a life time.  Made of synthetic materials that are foreign to the human body, they eventually succumb to wear and tear. 

 There are a lot of situations that can arise once the hip replacement device has exceeded its time of best use. The effects can range from the loosening of the hip replacement itself and the development of an infection around it.  In addition to that is the breaking or wearing out of the implant and worse, the damaging of the bone surrounding the implant.  No one in the path to recovery surely wants to experience something like this at all.  However, these are inevitable and can cause obstructions to the normal function of one’s hip joint, hence a replacement is necessary.  Hopefully though, that should be after twenty to twenty five years. 

While the purpose of a hip replacement revision surgery is nothing but intended for the best results, we cannot help but contemplate that it is a riskier, more expensive procedure compared to the first.  The rate of recovery and the difficulty of executing the procedure are also more unfavorable than expected.   Why do you think so?  First, the procedure could cause excruciating pain to the patient and present a challenge to the surgeon if the tissue on the site is infected.   Next, follow up replacement operations mostly occur at a time of older age, making the pain less tolerable and stress and anxiety less unavoidable.   The patient by then might have also developed other diseases with age which can double the experience of pain and prevent the patient from taking pain relievers which pose as contraindications to the other illness.

Now that we know the benefits of a hip replacement surgery and the disadvantages of a premature revision surgery that follows, we know how crucial it is for us to make sure we are using only the best brand and model of hip replacement implant devices.  These well-working and reliable devices should also not be in the list of devices recalled by FDA such as Stryker hip replacements. 

URL Reference: orthopedics.about.com/cs/hipreplacement/a/implantissues.htm