Millions of Americans suffer from painful degenerative conditions such as osteoarthritis, as well as rheumatoid arthritis, bone loss and bone impairments that cause them to seek hip replacement surgery. If you or someone you love is one of these, you understand that the thought of having a new hip restores hope and excitement for a better, more normal life. Yet, tens of thousands of Americans are forced to undergo hip revision surgery due to loosening, infection, dislocation, inflammation or lack of mobility following a hip replacement. Adding insult to injury, many patients have followed through with surgery only to learn of a recall regarding their hip replacement device afterward.

Did you know? As reported by the British Journal of Medicine in 2013, nearly 25% of artificial hip implants do not receive thorough testing before hitting the market. This is because the 501K-clearance program issued by the FDA allows manufacturers to release devices onto the market quicker if they are similar to other devices. Clearly, this raises questions about the safety of these devices.

At the Harman Law Firm, we maintain a practice focus on defective medical devices, helping hold manufacturers and medical device companies accountable for injuries sustained by consumers and patients. If you or a loved one has received a hip replacement only to experience pain and injury requiring additional surgery, you need to know your options. You may be entitled to compensation for physical, financial and emotional trauma due to your injuries.

Call the Harman Law Firm today for a free, no obligation consultation.

Complications Associated With Artificial Hip Replacements

A variety of different hip replacement materials are available on the market such as plastic-lined metal, metal-on-metal, ceramic-on-ceramic and ceramic-on-metal. With promises that the average hip implant will last 10-20 years, many Americans are shocked when they prematurely fail or when pain, infection and swelling occurs. Unfortunately, many are forced to undergo additional surgery, which is costly, risky and painful.

Consider the following hip recalls:

• DePuy Hip recalls: ASR XL Acetabular
• Stryker Hip recalls: Rejuvenate & ABG II Modular Neck Stems
• Smith & Nephew Hip recalls: R3 Metal Liners

The following complications may lead to hip revision surgery:

• Blood poisoning (particularly in metal-on-metal materials, high levels of chromium and cobalt from debris found in blood)
• Bone loss (due to loosening of the hip replacement device)
• Clicking, popping and grinding sounds
• Fractured hipbone
• Infection
• Pseudotumors (mass of inflamed cells resembling a tumor)
• Inflammation and swelling of the hip and thigh

If you or someone you love has experienced any of the above-mentioned complications following hip replacement surgery, or if you’ve been forced to have hip revision surgery following a previous hip replacement or complication, you need to know your legal options. When it comes to product liability and defective medical devices, the attorneys at the Harman Law Firm are your greatest allies.

Contact the Harman Law Firm today for a free initial consultation to discuss your injuries.