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Zimmer Natural Knee and Natural Hip

Were you looking for Zimmer Durom Cup or Zimmer NexGen lawsuits?

Hip and Knee Attorneys are currently reviewing Zimmer Natural Knee and Zimmer Natural Hip complaints. A number of patients implanted with the Zimmer Natural knee or hip or the Zimmer Natural Knee II have experienced complications and some patients may be facing revision surgery. 



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Zimmer Natural Knee and Hip

Attorneys experienced with hip and knee replacement failure lawsuits, particularly Zimmer Hip Replacement and Zimmer knee replacement claims, have recently received complaints from patients who were implanted with the Zimmer Natural knee and/or the Zimmer Natural hip replacement system.

Zimmer hip and knee attorneys believe that the Zimmer Natural is another defective medical device manufactured by Zimmer, and complaints from patients who have this type of hip or knee replacement implanted are similar to claims from patients who experienced problems with the Zimmer NexGen knee and the Zimmer Durom Cup hip replacement.

zimmerkneedoctorCurrently, attorneys are seeing more problems with Zimmer Natural knees than hips. The Zimmer Natural knee is designed to be used with or without cement to give the patient a more natural range of motion and quicker recovery. However, recipients of the Natural knee have experienced anomalies in their healing and life expectancy of the implant.

On it website, Zimmer states that its Natural-Hip Family of stems has been successfully implanted in nearly 100,000 patients with over 12 years of outstanding long-term clinical results. It also shows the results of a clinical study that "yielded outstanding results", but patient data reveals that the clinical study comprised only 87 patients.
 

Zimmer Natural Knee Recall

More than 26,000 of Zimmer' "Gender Solutions" Natural-Knee Flex System, Prolong Articular Surface, knee implants were recalled in 2009 and 2010. Zimmer said the devices were recalled because the surgeon may have difficulty inserting the polyethylene into the tibial baseplate, which may result in intraoperative damage to the device. Experienced attorneys, however, believe the device could be defective.

In 2012 Zimmer' Natural-Knee II Durasul Patella product was issued a Class II recall for its knee replacement component due to reported device failures.

(The FDA describes a Class II recall as "a situation in which use of or exposure to a violative product may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences or where the probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote.")

According to the FDA, "the pegs on the back side of the patella have sheared at the peg/patella interface". The Zimmer natural knee was also found to have lower fracture fatigue strength than other similar products. As of March 2012, the FDA reported 16 incidences where the patella peg sheared out.

Although a Class II indicates that a medical device is potentially dangerous, Zimmer Natural knee and hip devices are still on the market. The FDA has issued the following products Class II recalls:
  • June 30, 2009, Natural Knee System Modular Cemented Tibial Baseplate: Tibial spacer will not affix to distal (outer) surface of the base plate, as intended.

  • November 13, 2009, Gender Solutions Natural Knee Flex System: Surgeons may have difficulty inserting the polyethylene into tibial baseplate, resulting in damage to the device.
More information on the recalls can be found on the FDA website.

Patients with Zimmer Natural knee and hip replacements have reported similar symptoms as those with Zimmer' NexGen Total Knee Replacement devices, including:
  • Breakage, mainly metal breaks from constant weight-bearing stress
  • Fractures typically near the artificial joint
  • Loosening of the attachment between the bone and artificial device, both in cemented and un-cemented artificial joints
  • Painful stiffness and infection due to loosening of the attachment between device and bone
  • Instability when the artificial joint dislocates
  • Wear and tear on plastic parts
Patients with any of the above symptoms have filed lawsuits against Zimmer. As well, hip and knee recipients often face revision surgery, which can be debilitating and painful, and lead to more complications, such as:
  • Infection
  • Thrombophlebitis (blood clots in the legs)
  • Myositis ossificans(calcium deposits in soft tissue around the knee joint, causing inflammation of muscles where they meet the bone)
  • Loosening where a metal component or cement meets the bone
  • Incision complications
  • Bone fractures during surgery
  • Dislocation of the new prothesis
  • A difference in leg length because of the artificial knee
  • More or faster loss of bone tissue
A number of patients have also filed Zimmer natural knee lawsuits after revision surgery. Experienced knee and hip attorneys expect Zimmer lawsuits to be consolidated as mass torts at state and federal levels for discovery stage.

In 2010 Zimmer Holdings celebrated the 25th anniversary of its Zimmer Natural Knee System that has been used in about 400,000 implantations worldwide. Although Zimmer didn't report any adverse announcements from Zimmer Natural Knee or Hip replacement patients in its press release, attorneys have received many complaints that the Zimmer natural knee and hip device is allegedly defective.

Zimmer has operations in more than 25 countries around the world and sells products in more than 100 countries. Zimmer's 2009 sales were approximately $4.1 billion.
 

Zimmer Hip and Knee Recalls, Lawsuits and Settlements

zimmerhipreplacement Since the 1970' hip and knee replacement surgery has increasingly become commonplace, and the biggest problem patients face is revision surgery. Zimmer took its Durom device of the market in 2008 due to its high failure rate (one study funded by Zimmer found that 8 percent of patients needed a revision within two years).

Like its Durom Cup, the Zimmer NexGen has been named in complaints of high failure rates and complications. In 2010 several NexGen components were named in a Zimmer knee recall after it was determined the components were manufactured with defects or packaged with inadequate surgical instructions. In July 2011 the Zimmer NexGen Knee Lawsuits seek multi-district litigation (MDL) Consolidation. (Traditionally, MDL precedes multiple pre-trial mediations and non-disclosure settlements between plaintiffs and defendant drug companies.)

In 2010 Zimmer had put aside a settlement fund of approximately $145 million. (Also in 2010, Johnson and Johnson announced that it had put aside nearly $1 billion for expected liability payouts to patients who had received defective artificial DePuy hips.)
 

Zimmer Natural Claims

Zimmer Natural complaints are now being reviewed by Zimmer knee and hip attorneys for people who have experienced problems with the Zimmer Natural hip and/or knee replacement system. Attorneys would like to talk with people who were implanted with either the Zimmer Natural hip or knee and who are having problems with the implant, particularly if their doctors have advised revision surgery. Once attorneys review these complaints they can determine whether the Zimmer product is defective or whether the problems are simply due to the natural healing process.
 

Zimmer Natural Knee and Hip Legal Help

If you or a loved one has suffered damages in this case, please click the link below and your complaint will be sent to a lawyer who may evaluate your claim at no cost or obligation.

 


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ZIMMER NATURAL LEGAL ARTICLES AND INTERVIEWS

Failing Medical Devices and Lax Regulations a Perfect Storm
Failing Medical Devices and Lax Regulations a Perfect Storm
September 5, 2016
Washington, DC: When Zimmer announced a voluntary recall of the Zimmer Persona Trabecular Metal Tibial Plate in February of last year (augmented by an official Class II recall by the US Food and Drug Administration the following month on March 12, 2015), the Zimmer Persona recall was yet another reminder of a medical device regulatory environment that is flawed at its best, and dangerous at its worst. With the first wave of the massive Baby Boomer demographic now easing into retirement, the possibility for ongoing failure of medical devices will likely grow exponentially. READ MORE

Zimmer Natural Knee Complaints Spur More Lawsuits
Zimmer Natural Knee Complaints Spur More Lawsuits
August 11, 2012
The Zimmer Natural knee made its debut about 27 years ago and since that time many people have been outfitted with a Zimmer Natural. And since the Natural-Knee Flex System, Prolong Articular Surface knee implants were recalled in 2009 and 2010, a number of people have filed Zimmer Natural lawsuits. READ MORE

Zimmer Natural Knee Sometimes Not As Good As the Ad Says…
Zimmer Natural Knee Sometimes Not As Good As the Ad Says…
July 19, 2012
You want your Zimmer Natural Knee to perform like the one in the advertisement. You would expect nothing less, and little wonder given the widespread assumption that any product that carries the FDA stamp of approval (US Food and Drug Administration) will do what they say it will do, and over the 12 to 15 years it's supposed to last. READ MORE

READER COMMENTS

Posted by

on
I have a zimmer natural knee and with in the last two years I started having pain and swelling in my left knee which is knee that has the zimmer natural knee. I have seen an orthopedic surgeon who said he believed my knee was lose but to come see him in a year. It has only been 4 and half years since I have had my knee replaced I am tired of hurting and it interesting with my daily life I can not sit,stand,sleep,or walk for long periods of time.

Posted by

on
I had a Zimmer replacement in March 2012. In a 2013 MRI, my spine specialist noted that a screw in my hip replacement was loose. I notified my orthopedic hip specialist who did the surgery, and he did not want to discuss it. In fact, his office refused to set anymore appointments with me. I have a more recent xray from May of this year, in which a walk-in clinic doctor was able to identify the loose screw. I now have an appointment with a new orthopedic hip specialist next month. I am experiencing pain & "pinching" in the replaced hip.

Posted by

on
I received a double hip replacement in 2010. I have experienced many problems. Extreme pain, weight loss, swollen joints, and much more.

Posted by

on
I have been in terrible pain for six years. I have had Three operations after the initial knee replacement with no pain relief whatsoever. I am now disabled, and see no hope for any future.

Posted by

on
Pain, weakness, numbness and tickling on my left leg and lower back. Frustration due to limitations on my everyday life. I have a walker to move around, but I am limited to my walking, no more than 50 yards, because I am on pain. I was doing some swimming exercises - very light - to strengthen my leg muscles and the doctor said to be very careful because, I could have more dislocations.

Posted by

on
Since my surgery I am not able to function as well as I should be. It has been a year and I am in acute pain and not able to perform daily tasks. The pain has caused my life to change drastically. I am in the process of having several tests done by another doctor who is giving me a second opinion.

Posted by

on
Lost my job. Pain and suffering. 8 surgeries on the knee since July 2009. Unable to work now.

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