Stryker Hip Replacement Lawsuits to Move Forward

New York, NYStryker hip replacement lawsuits stemming from the recent recall of Rejuvenate and ABG II Modular-Neck hip stems continue to move forward in New Jersey Superior Court. According to Orders issued by the Court on April 29th, Defendants have consented to the use of long and short form complaints submitted by Plaintiffs’ attorneys last month. (In re Stryker Rejuvenate Hip Stem and the ABG II Modular Hip Stem Litigation, No. 296)

Court documents indicate that at least 145 Stryker hip lawsuits have already been filed in the New Jersey litigation. Earlier this year, a number of plaintiffs in federally-filed Stryker hip replacement lawsuits petitioned the US Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) to establish a consolidated proceeding for those claims in a single federal court. Oral Arguments on the matter have been scheduled for May 30th. (In Re: Stryker Rejuvenate and ABG II Hip Implant Products Liability Litigation, Case Pending No. 20 (JPML))

The Stryker hip recall was announced in July 2012, after the Rejuvenate and ABG II hip stems were found to be prone to fretting and corrosion at the modular neck junction. Plaintiffs in Stryker hip lawsuits allege this has caused them to suffer local tissue reactions manifesting with pain and/or swelling, and other adverse outcomes including metallosis, necrosis and osteolysis. Stryker has advised recipients of Rejuvenate and ABG II hip stems to undergo blood tests for elevated metal ion levels and cross sectional imaging to ensure the components are functioning properly, even in the absence of symptoms.