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Hip & Knee Replacements

Were you looking for DePuy Canada or DePuy ASR Hip or DePuy Pinnacle or Zimmer Durom Cup or Zimmer NexGen lawsuits?

The past decade has seen an exponential increase in hip and knee replacements and with it, hip & knee replacement failure. With more and more baby boomers approaching an older age, hip and knee replacement surgery is becoming more common--as are hip and knee replacement complaints. Since the Depuy hip and knee replacement recalls in 2005, thousands of patients have filed a hip replacement lawsuit or a knee replacement lawsuit, claiming the medical devices are defective.


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Hip and Knee Replacements

hip replacementIncreasingly, patients are receiving more hip and knee replacement surgeries, with about 600,000 knee replacement procedures alone performed in the US annually. Combined with a growing and worrisome number of knee replacements in younger people, both medical and legal experts predict that the amount of hip and knee failures may cost US taxpayers, insurers and employers billions of dollars in the coming years, according to The International Herald Tribune (December 2011).

Because hip and knee replacements represent an entire class of products rather than simply one device or one manufacturer (see list below), the financial repercussions stemming from hip and knee implants that are alleged to be defective will likely be enormous, especially when revision surgery is taken into account.

Given the amount of hip and knee replacement surgeries performed, there has been an increase in complaints. Hip and knee implants are known to have complications, including infection and joint dislocation. Hip replacement lawyers predict that hundreds or even thousands of patients are now facing hip and knee revision surgery, or multiple revision surgeries.

One reason that so many hip and knee replacements have failed is due to manufacturers introducing their products to the market with little or no clinical evidence, according to a report in The Lancet, March 2012. When problems with hip and knee replacement devices were detected in the past, surgeons typically stopped using the faulty device and the manufacturer recalled the product. But some implants have not had a recall even though complaints have been filed--such as with Zimmer' NexGen knee and its Natural knee and hip.

A recent study reported by The International Herald Tribune, (December 2011) found that no new hip or knee implants introduced during the last five years were more durable than older devices, and 30 percent were worse.

Patients with hip and/or knee replacement failure have reported the following problem(s):
  • 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 artifcial 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

Hip Replacement Failure

A recent FDA website (October 2011) notifies the public of the concerns regarding use of metal-on-metal hip components used in total hip arthroplasty (THA). It describes hip implants, how metal-on-metal implants differ from other hip implants, and it gives information and recommendations about the benefits and risks of these medical devices. It also notifies hip replacement patients about symptoms that might indicate a hip replacement problem, including hip/groin pain, local swelling, numbness or changes in your ability to walk.

Metal-on-Metal Total Hip Replacement Implant

Metal-on-Metal total hip replacement systems consist of a metal ball (femoral head), a metal femoral stem in the thighbone, and a metal cup in the hip bone (acetabular component). MoM hip implants are usually recommended for younger and more active patients, mainly because they are supposed to be more durable and last longer than other materials, i.e., plastic or ceramic. Metal-on-metal hip implants are made of a cobalt-chromium alloy.

The two types of MoM hip systems are Traditional total hip replacement implant and Total resurfacing hip implant. According to the FDA website, metal-on-metal hip implants are known to have adverse events, including infection and joint dislocation.

A report released by the National Joint Registry for England and Wales (09/11) warns that the failure rate of metal-on-metal hip devices is increasing, with the highest failure rate seen in the DePuy ASR device. According to the registry, hip replacement devices made entirely from metal had a significantly higher failure rate than those made from other materials. The failure rate was also significantly higher in women than in men. The report found that of patients who received an ASR device six years ago, approximately 30 percent had the device replaced. Failure of a hip device is not considered life-threatening, but can be debilitating.

Meanwhile, a study published in the British Medical Journal (11/11) suggested that metal-on-metal hip replacement devices are no more effective than traditional hip replacement devices and may have higher revision rates than their traditional counterparts. According to researchers, patients who receive a metal-on-metal hip replacement device have approximately double the risk of undergoing hip revision surgery.

Since 2008, the FDA has received hundreds of complaints about DePuy Orthopaedics ASR line of devices for hip surgery implants that used metal-on-metal (MoM) replacement systems, but the FDA waited until February 2011 to notify the public of its defective design.

The DePuy ASR XL modular acetabular cup and the ASR hip resurfacing system were recalled in August 2010 after hundreds of patients complained about the metal-on-metal hip implants. From August 2005 to August 2010, about 40,000 in patients in the US received the DePuy ASR and the failure rate could be as high as 13 per cent. (The generally accepted standard is no more than 5 percent of patients requiring revision surgery within five years of implantation.)

Anyone who received a hip replacement in the US after July 2003 may have received a DePuy ASR device that is defective.

DePuy ASR Infection

The design of the DePuy ASR causes the metal ball and the metal cup to slide against each other during movement, which can cause some tiny metal particles to wear off of the device and enter into the space around the implant. Metal ions from the implant may enter into the bloodstream, which may cause severe medical problems. Some patients with metal-on-metal hip implants developed a reaction to these ions, which could affect the nervous system, heart and thyroid gland. Metal debris in the bloodstream can lead to cobalt poisoning or toxicity.

DePuy ASR Slippage and/or Joint Dislocation

Metal particles around some implants can also cause damage to bone and/or tissue surrounding the implant and joint, which is called "adverse local tissue reaction (ALTR)" or an "adverse reaction to metal debris (ARMD). This reaction may cause pain and/or the implant to loosen.

On July 22, 2008, the Zimmer Durom Acetabular Component ("Durom Cup") was recalled because the instructions for use/surgical technique instructions were inadequate. Further information about the recall can be found on Zimmer's letter to surgeon.

Since it was introduced to the US market in 2006, the Durom Cup has been used for total hip replacement in more than 12,000 patients, but many individuals have reported severe pain and the need for additional hip surgeries after having the Zimmer Durom Cup hip replacement implanted. According to the manufacturer, doctors reported post-hip surgery problems "requiring revision" 5.7 percent of the time. Some patients have also experienced problems with the Zimmer NexGen CR-Flex knee replacement component.

The DePuy Pinnacle is a metal-on-metal hip implant with an unreasonably high failure rate. As of December 2010, over 500 complaints had been received by the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System from people who had experienced adverse effects from the Pinnacle system. Reports allege that the stem is loosening and slipping out of the cup and a number of patients are requiring revision surgery.

According to the FDA MAUDE Adverse Event Report, DePuy is currently investigating loss of osseointegration with the DePuy Pinnacle device.

Similar to the ASR XL Acetabular and ASR Hip Resurfacing Systems, the DePuy Pinnacle Acetabular Cup System was fast-tracked through the FDA's medical device approval process because it was similar to already-approved devices. However, unlike the other hip systems, the DePuy Pinnacle Acetabular Cup System has not yetbeen recalled. Regardless, DePuy Pinnacle lawsuits have been filed (see below).

In January 2008, Stryker Corp. recalled two hip implant products in their Trident stock. Both products are replacement cups: the Trident Acetabular PSL Cup, and the Trident Hemispherical Cup.

People who had the implants reported difficulties with the products since 2005, including severe and intense pain, trouble walking, joints that squeak, broken joint implants, and poor fit of implants leading to bone breaks.

Corin Hip Resurfacing

Corin Group, based in England, has had a partially porous femoral component available in Europe for several years. The Cormet Hip Resurfacing System was approved by the FDA in 2007. Although the agency supported Corin' hip resurfacing device, it required a follow-up study after approval to evaluate long-term performance.

Hip resurfacing was introduced in the late 1990s as an alternative to the more conventional total hip replacement. It is mainly designed for middle-aged patients who are physically active and expected to outlive the l 15-20 year lifespan of a full hip replacement. However, a British study by The Royal College of Surgeons (September 2008) found about 4 percent of the 2,360 women who underwent resurfacing in England had to have a second operation to repair the same hip within three years. Those women who received traditional hip replacements had a re-operation rate of less than 1.6 percent.

US Research (Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research, January 2009) found that most complications with hip resurfacing occurred in women of all ages and men over the age of 55. Resurfacing in the US is expected to increase, despite the risks.

Biomet Hip Replacement

The Biomet Magnum Hip Implant is a metal-on-metal implant that is allegedly a defective design. A lawsuit has been filed against Biomet Orthopedics claiming its M2a-Magnum System failed shortly after being implanted (the plaintiff received the Biomet hip replacement in 2009). According to the lawsuit, the Biomet hip replacement device has caused a condition known as metallosis (metal poisoning) due to the metal hip replacement parts rub against each other, which can lead to microscopic particles of cobalt and chromium shedding into the body.

Biomet has recalled three of its following products:
  • 2001: Zirconia ceramic femoral heads manufactured by St. Gobain Desmarquest because they were fracturing at a higher rate than expected
  • 2007: Tibial Bearing ARCOM UHMWPE due to improper laser etching for size.
  • 2008: Modular Microplasty Cup Insterter because the weld at the lock location could break during impaction.
Biomet reported $2.8 billion in net sales for 2011.

Knee Replacement Failure

Sometimes knee replacement surgery fails and knee implant revision surgery is necessary. There are a number of possible causes of knee replacement failure, however, complaints have been filed regarding alleged defective knee implants.

Zimmer introduced two versions of the NexGen CR-Flex Fixed Bearing Knee in 2003: a cemented version (that uses an adhesive to connect the thigh bone to the device) and a cementless version (which bonds by natural bone ingrowth). Both artificial knees are supposed to last at least 15 years, but a number of orthopedic surgeons, including former consultants for Zimmer, believe the device is defective. Since 2006, reports from patients have shown higher-than-normal rates of loosening and failure in the uncemented CR-Flex Porous Femoral component. To date, there has not been a Zimmer NexGen knee recall, but product liability attorneys and personal injury attorneys are evaluating Zimmer knee claims for patients who have experienced failure with the Zimmer NexGen CR-Flex Porous Femoral component.

More than 26,000 of Zimmer' "Gender Solutions" Natural-Knee Flex System, Prolong Articular Surface, knee implants were recalled in 2009 and 2010. Although Zimmer said the devices were recalled because the surgeon may have difficulty inserting parts of the device, experienced hip and knee attorneys 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.

Oxinium Pro-Fix II and the Oxinium Genesis II

In August 2003, the London-based medical device manufacturer Smith & Nephew recalled of two of their knee replacement products--the Oxinium Pro-Fix II and the Oxinium Genesis II. Some of these "cementless" knee replacements failed to bond properly, which greatly increased the possibility of infection, as well as joint, muscular and neurological damage in addition to further painful rehabilitation and revision surgery.

Other Hip and Knee Replacement Issues

Sterilization Practices

Some Hip and Knee Implant failure problems can be traced back to several companies' sterilization practices. Howmedica, as well as several other companies, used a technique known as gamma irradiation in air to sterilize the devices (hip and knee prostheses) made of high molecular weight polyethylene, which is like a pliable plastic. The sterilization process caused the polyethylene part of the devices, once implanted in the body, to break up into small pieces that lodge into the patient's hip or knee joint. In the body's fight to rid itself of those pieces, the immune system also turns on the patient's healthy bone, causing it to decay, a condition known as osteolysis. These patients inevitably need a second surgery to replace the device long before expected.

Oxidation

Oxidation, which is a time-dependent byproduct of gamma sterilization in air, has an adverse effect on the material properties and wear resistance of polyethylene. Oxidation occurs when oxygen combines with free radicals in the. The oxidation can occur during irradiation, or it can occur over time as oxygen diffuses into the polyethylene and combines with residual free radicals.

Recognizing the adverse effects of oxidation, some manufacturers have abandoned gamma sterilization and began using ethylene oxide (EtO) or gas plasma to sterilize the components, thereby avoiding immediate and long-term oxidation. However, particularly in the absence of oxygen , the free radicals generated by irradiation can combine to each other, forming "crosslinks" between two carbon atoms on adjacent polyethylene molecules.

When packaging/sterilizing in a low-oxygen environment (e.g., partial vacuum, inert gas, or with an oxygen scavenger), the degree of oxidation that will occur is reduced. In order to gain the benefit of the crosslinking, some manufacturers continue to sterilize their polyethylene components with gamma radiation.

Defective Hip Implant Symptoms

The following symptoms that could occur after your hip implant surgery may indicate that your artificial knee or hip is not working as it should, and may require revision surgery:
  • Pain in the groin, hip or leg
  • Swelling at or near the hip joint
  • A limp or change in walking ability
It is very important to be aware of any changes in your general health, particularly symptoms related to your:
  • Heart (chest pain, shortness of breath)
  • Nerves (numbness, weakness, change in vision or hearing)
  • Thyroid (fatigue, feeling cold, weight gain)
To determine whether you are having a reaction to the metal particles from your implant, an orthopedic surgeon may consider several tests, including:
  • Blood tests, including checking levels of metal ions in the blood
  • Special imaging tests
  • Joint aspiration (using a needle to remove fluid from around the joint )
Hip and Knee Revision Surgery (also known as Replacement Surgeries)

Defective implants require removal and revision (also known as replacement) surgery at significant expense. Your orthopedic surgeon may recommend revision surgery for a number of reasons, including infection, dislocation, and device fracture. Revision surgery may be advised if you develop evidence of local or systemic reactions to the metal from your hip implant.

Researchers believe that data on knee and hip replacement surgery is mostly limited to revision surgery, which means the number of complaints from hip and knee replacement patients could be the tip of the iceberg. Many patients suffer pain and disability without undergoing revision surgery.

Complications from revision surgery include:
  • 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

Hip and Knee Replacement Lawsuits

As of November 2011, more than 5,000 lawsuits and complaints had been filed against the makers of all-metal replacement hips alone.

The following manufacturers have lawsuits filed against them for faulty hip and knee implants:
  • Biomet
  • Depuy
  • Howmedica Osteonics Corp.
  • Howmedica, Inc.
  • Osteonics Corp.
  • Zimmer
If you received a hip implant in the US after July 2003, it could be a DePuy ASR device. By the time DePuy recalled its defective device, more than 93,000 patients worldwide were believed to have an ASR hip implant. Since the recall, hundreds of product liability lawsuits against DePuy have been filed and consolidated in a multidistrict litigation before U.S. District Judge David Katz of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio.

According to Medical Industry Week, on February 18, 2011 a personal injury lawsuit was filed against Johnson & Johnson's DePuy Orthopaedics, alleging its DePuy ASR XL acetabular system is defective. The lawsuit has been filed in a Federal Court in San Francisco, CA.

One DePuy Pinnacle lawsuit, which was filed in November 2010 in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, claims that the plaintiff has been suffering from an abnormal gait, nerve pain and other problems since receiving the Pinnacle device in 2004. Another suit, filed in December 2010, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, alleges the plaintiff has undergone six surgeries as a result of metal poisoning he developed after receiving a Pinnacle hip implant in 2007.

Hip & Knee Replacement Legal Help

If you feel you qualify for damages or remedies that might be awarded in a possible Hip & Knee Replacement lawsuit, please click the link below to submit your complaint to a lawyer who will review your claim at no cost or obligation.
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HIP AND KNEE REPLACEMENT LEGAL ARTICLES AND INTERVIEWS

Tracking Systems in the U.K Key to Care for Hip Implant Patients, But Non-Existent in the U.S.
Tracking Systems in the U.K Key to Care for Hip Implant Patients, But Non-Existent in the U.S.
January 26, 2018
Santa Cruz, CA:The study, published in the Bone & Joint Journal, finds that the rate of metal-on-metal (MoM) hip implant patients undergoing revision has increased over time. Researchers at the Universities of Oxford and Bristol have suggested the observed differences are in part due to increased patient surveillance. In the U.S., patient surveillance is pretty much left up to the patient. READ MORE

DePuy Hip’s Million Dollar Surgeons “Taking Share of Business”
DePuy Hip’s Million Dollar Surgeons “Taking Share of Business”
December 24, 2017
Dallas, TX: In a recent hip replacement trial, plaintiffs’ lawyer showed to the jury records whereby DePuy paid its Pinnacle hip "design surgeons" more than $184 million in royalties that he argued were kickbacks. And jurors watched a video of a 2008 DePuy sales conference themed “Taking Share of Business”. To the lyrics of “Takin’ Care of Business” by the rock group Bachman-Turner Overdrive, DePuy’s former top marketer leads a parade with costumed alligators, a bloodied man with a hatchet and a giant metal hip implant. The plaintiffs won. READ MORE

Stryker Defective Hip Implant Lawsuit Plaintiff Survey Deemed ‘Intrusive’
Stryker Defective Hip Implant Lawsuit Plaintiff Survey Deemed ‘Intrusive’
November 26, 2017
Boston, MA: With the date for the first bellwether hip replacement implant failure trial involving failed Stryker femoral heads now established for September, 2019 attention has shifted to a compelling questionnaire the Howmedica defense team has issued to plaintiffs as part of the deposition process. READ MORE

READER COMMENTS

Posted by

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I had TKR in 2017. It kept hurting terribly. Went back to surgeon several times, Had X-Rays . Dr,
. Didn’t know why I hurt. I went to another Dr. He said it needed to be replaced. I was scared to have revision thinking it might get better. It only got worse. Had to have Revision 2021. but am still having terrible pain when I stand or walk and if I lie wrong. Now I have terrible hip, and leg pain. Surgeon made X-Rays and said he thought it was my spine. Did MRI and it showed a little Spinal Stenosis. In unbearable pain .Waiting to see Spinal Doctor

Posted by

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I had a partial left knee replaced,was ok for a while but stayed swollen all the time and hurt. Doctor did xrays to find it had broke loose.8/19/2014 had partial &3/29/16 when I had a revision knee looks bad still swelling and hurting.thank you

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I had a TKR (total knee replacement) with a conformis I Total G2 in September of 2014 It never felt right after one year I went to see my surgeon who told me that the tibial tray had loosened and crushed part of the bone (Tibial head) said that the whole thing needed replaced, revision surgery. I went to a second surgeon that told me the same thing so I had revision surgery in October 2015. Lots of pain and another year of recovery to make sure the tibial tray stayed in place they put a 9 inch spike in my tibia and built up part of the tray to account for bone loss. Conformis says that their implants are custom built from a ct scan and that all surgical tools are also custom built for your knee, This is not true from my experience the surgeon who said that he thought the thing was misaligned causing to much pressure on one side of the joint causing the metal tray to crush the bone. Now after the second surgery I am walking better but the leg is still swollen and causes my foot to swell up in my shoe the doctor has told me that I should expect this to be the case for the rest of my life. Getting a TKR was the worst choice of my life. Has anyone else had this problem with the Conformis I-Total G2 knee replacement?

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I have had two knee replacements, one in 2007 and the other in 2010. I believe they Re DePuy products but not sure. The 2010 replacement also consisted of a DePuy Trumatch clinical trial. I have had a lot of chronic pain so went to an Ortho who performed a bone density scan determining the implant has loosened and the fix is a redo of the replacement. Not too excited about this since it is such a painful recovery. I am not sure if I had DePuy or Zimmerman or what on the other knee. I have filled out a couple of these on the web to have lawyers call me telling me they are not handling DePuy and wishing me luck. How do I determine what products were used for my bilateral replacements? Go get hospital records? I don't understand how to identify the manufacturer and who can help me based on that info or lack of.

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Had a total knee replacement 10/1015. Biomet is the brand. still hurts and can only climb one stair at a time.
Frustrated!!!

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I had full hip replacement surgery Feb. 11th of this year, I'm a 46 yr.old after my surgery I went for my 6 month check up. I expressed concern that I was suffering from a limp and the surgeon stated that the left leg he worked on appeared short than the right but that was fine and the limp should lessen,it has and the limp is worst.

Posted by

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Had a TKR 7 months ago.knee has 5 small round thing,like bb.
Now it felt like water running down my leg.My big toe,felt
Like pin in it.And my knee get water on it.The DR draw the water off.

Posted by

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In Dec. 2013, I had a Biomet XP Total Knee Replacement on my left knee. By August 2015 I knew my knee had failed. My new doctor told me the idea of leaving the ACL and PCL in the knee is a good concept, but hasn't worked well to date. I had a complete new knee installed last week 1/19/16 through revision surgery. While I am confident the 'revision' will work, I have had 3 years of my life destroyed and have been in total pain. I understand the VANGUARD BIOMET XP knee will soon be recalled. Does anyone else have a story I might hear regarding this failed knee replacement.
Utah.

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Had knee replacement 10/2014. The knee never got better. Back in forth to surgeon with MRI and Xrays and assure me it will get better. August if 2015 I was leaving Philadelphia, had last visit w/surgeon he told me he did not know what to do other than going in my knee to explore. And then said, he didn't understand what was going on. I moved to Chamberburg, Pa so my son could help me. My mobility is very limited with pain, stiffness, swelling, while leg, limping. After seeing Ortho. surgeon where I am now on the first X-ray, it reveal that the device is loose. I am schedule for a revision February 2016 total knee. First surgery was particle. Device is Dupuy.

Posted by

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I have a hip rr placement on the right and left.

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Had total hip replacement on 08/31/2015 in left hip. 91 days later l developed infection in the left hip.Made first available appointment with surgeon on 12/04/2015.Emergency surgery was done on that same day.I was hospitalized for 10 days. I've now been total it will be at least 3 months and probably longer before my next surgery to replace permanent hip replacement. I'm 64 years old.

Posted by

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The replacement was put in in May 2014from day one i told the dr i was in alot of pain and thr knee would not been. After alot of doing this and that nothing helped.After a year of pain pain pain my dr.said it was my fault it wouldn't bend.I ask him how is it my fault when I've. Done all u ask me to do.I have filed a complaint i dont think it will help.The other dr.sent me for a bone scan.When i went back to see him he said the k ee had come apart and a bone was broke.so he gave me a shot in the knee that did not help at all.I see him again in two days please wish me luck.

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Had a conformis itotal g2 implant November 2014. severe shin pain anyone have answers to this. I have been tested and am highly reactive to nickel and the implant will be removed in December. Yet No answer as to why so much pain in knee especially shin.

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I had a TKR in April 2013 (Stryker Osteonics Triathlon). I had constant pain during physical therapy. The joint was always warm or hot. My doctor insisted that this was normal, even after several months post-op. He told me that I had a low pain tolerance and "this would be as good as I may get out of the surgery". Nine months after surgery I began to get fevers and red steaks down my leg. I saw my primary care physician who said the knee was infected and referred me back to the surgeon. Immediately, I was taken seriously. I did have a 2 stage revision (done by another surgeon). I had filed a law suit, suing the surgeon but it went no where. I was told it was because the outcome would have been the same - a 2 stage revision. The second knee is working out but I am still in pain and there is significant swelling but I can at least function. Is there any information re: the Stryker Osteonics Triathlon?

Posted by

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Had total knee replacement at VA hospital ..one year later knee still swollen and was told by doctor that it was fine. Had x-ray and he said that was fine too. Then about one week later called and said I needed to come in due to something abnormal on the x-ray.
Of course when I got there I never saw my doctor again but was seen by another who said he didnt know what had happened but I would need another surgery to replace the joint.
My wife has had to give up her plans for a federal job in order to care for me as I am having difficulties and will need a new surgery. We are seeking damages for malpractice as well as pain, suffering and loss of wages.

Posted by

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I had a total knee done 2006 at VA hospital. I had knee pain from day one they say everything looks good.they just give me more pain meds.it a depu implant. Now I have to get rep la e at a not her hospital.

Posted by

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in 2010 I had total knee replacement on both knees at the same time. very painful. its been 5 years now and I still have server pain . I lost all range of motion. nothing can touch my knees with out it feeling like a boulder hit me. I walk up and down the stairs 1 step at a time. I tore the ten dents in both shoulders because of the way I have to get up from any sitting position. I live with constant pain. My knees are always hot to the touch. something is wrong but since I have lost my job I have no insurance to see doctors I have to suffer. what can I do do I have a law suit? please advise

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I had depuy sigma knee replacement April 2013,in june 2013 had infection set up and surgery was required, they called it minor surgery.My records indicate some type of staff had set up I believe.After that I was in continual pain,sometimes bad, sometimes not to bad.It to walk on it ever since.Could not sleep nights pain was so bad at times..Have fell also due to pain.This has went on for 2 years,with many office visits complaining of pain..I finally had to have surgery again on this knee this week on 7-21-15.The doctor(a different doctor this time) said he had to remove a plastic piece he considered to large, and put in another smaller piece.He says also there was tremendous amount of scar tissue in there,that was possibly,or likely, don't remember his exact wording,the reason for a troublesome rehabilition experience,and also some of pain.I never really recovered from first surgery,pain all the time, and am hoping this surgery will fix it..Question is do I have a compensation claim due to first surgery..I am 79 soon to be 80 this month.Doctor has told me either go in nursing home for continuous monitoring or hire a private sitter.Neither do I Like..

Posted by

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I had a Stryker Triathlon installed in Jan. 2010. In the past year I have suffered stiffness pain and lack of mobility. I am facing revision surgery in April. Do you see any chance of legal recourse?

Posted by

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In 2012, I had a total knee replacement. And as of April 20, I have to have surgery to redo the knee because the part is loose.

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In July 2012, I had a Zimmer hip replacement. Since then, I have increasing pain and walk with a severe limp. July 2014, it was discovered during an X- ray, that the titanium rod inside the femur had broken in two inside the femur. December 2014, I had a seven-hour surgery to have the piece removed and replaced. I had complications right after the surgery. The doctors at Hershey Medical Center in Hershey, PA, had never seen anything like it concerning a clean break in the rod! Unfortunately, I can't find a law firm willing to take my case on the sole basis that they haven't found enough similar cases. My medical bills are coming in and I need help. The surgeons have kept the metal piece in the event we need it for a lawsuit.

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I had a knee replacement in December of 2012 and had severe swelling in the knee after the surgery for 15 months. I knew something was wrong, as my surgeon had to removed up to 200 ccs of fluid from my knee every few weeks. The pain was worse after surgery than before. It was so bad, that I considered amputation.

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I had a total hip replacement on June 26, 2001 started having problems in 2011. I had to have a revision on February 14, 2012 and a 3rd surgery on January 27, 2014 due to complications from the 1st replacement. It wasn't a metal to metal but metal on plastic but I have had the same issues as the recll implants. Do anybody know of a lawyer that will take my case? This is a problem that I will have for the rest of my life.

Posted by

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Partial knee replacement done on 10/27/2010. On 10/15/11, less than one year, the partial came loose and came out of the thigh bone. Had to wait until 11/18/2011 to have the partial taken out and a complete knee put it. I lost my job because of the time I missed and I ran out of leave of absence. I am now on disability and suffer daily with my knee.

Posted by

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My story goes all the way back to 1980 when I was at work and my left knee popped out of place. The pain was excruciating. I couldn't straighten my leg out at all. A customer came and I asked him to call my Parents house and my Dad came and picked me up. We picked up my Mom on the way to the Hospital because she had to fix her hair--lol. She didn't realize the pain that I was in. We finally got to the Hospital and when the Doctor came into the Emergency room, he said that he was going to have to straighten my leg out. Have Mercy, when he did, I thought that I put dents into the rails on that bed. He put an immobilizer around my knee and told me to use crutches for 6 weeks and come back to his office. I did what he asked me to do and when I went back to his office, he told me that the main muscle that crosses over your Patella stretched completely out and I would need surgery. I wasn't but 25 years old. I was scared to death and when I woke up, he had put my whole leg in a cast. Needless to say, the pain was so bad I thought he had cut off part of my leg. I finally got to go home and then a week later I had to go back to his office. I talked him into taking the cast off and putting me back into the immobilizer. He had me sign a consent form releasing him of any liability in case I fell or anything like that. This was in the middle of the summer and that cast was HOT!!! So everyday I would go outside, take my little girl with me and watch her play and open up my immobilizer so my BIG cut could get some sun. When I went back to him 2 weeks later, he couldn't believe the difference in my cut and asked me what I had been doing so I told him. After I got over that surgery, my knee did pretty good for a while. I never could bend it all the way or run anymore, but I could walk without any pain--until1994. I ended up having Endoscopic surgery on it. That Dr. went in and cleaned out all the arthritis that he saw. It did pretty good again until 2008 when I had Arthroscopy surgery on it. He cleaned out the arthritis again and tried fixing a meniscus tear that I had. After that one, it didn't do too good so in January of 2010 I had a Total Knee Replacement. I did real good after that one. Until about a year ago when it started popping. And about a month ago it started popping out of place. I can't believe I'm going through all of this again. I'll be 59 in May. It was supposed to last 15 to 20 years and it hasn't lasted 4 1/2 years. It hurts pretty much all the time now, it swells and to top it all off, the Dr. that did the surgery then, isn't under my Insurance Network now. What's a girl to do? I'm going to call the Dr. that did it, find out my last visit there, ask them if they know the name of the Implant, which they should, but if they don't--then I'm going to call the Hospital where I had the surgery and ask for and Itemized Statement and tell them to be sure that the name of the Implant is on there. PLEASE be careful if you're thinking about having any kind of Replacement. Ask your Dr. for the name of it and do research on it. It's your body and it's the only one you'll ever have. You won't be sorry doing the research--besides--you're paying the Dr. not the other way around. May God Be With You...

Posted by

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In February of 2011, I was fitted with a recalled DePuy knee prosthesis. I have had nothing but problems from that time to the present! Painful, swelling, clicking with something moving within the knee, and failure to support me are just some of my complaints.

Posted by

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I Had A Knee Replacement In December 2012, The Part Was Osteonics Triathion Stryker. Went Back To The Doctor Several Times And Told Him I Was Still In Severe Pain. He Did X-Rays And Biopsys On It And He Said He Couldn't Find Anything Wrong That Was Causing My Pain. It Will Be A Year This December, And I Still Have Severe Pain, Can't Hardly Walk Without Hurting. I Have Almost Fell A Few Times And I Am So Afraid I Will, Could There Be A Defect In The Stryker Implant?

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