"I'd Rather Cut Off My Leg from the Knee Down Than Suffer More Pain from This Zimmer NexGen Knee"

Pembine, WI"If I'd known my Zimmer NexGen Knee Replacement would turn out this way, I would have had my leg cut off at the knee," says Wayne, 64 years old and a former policeman. "Ever since the knee replacement surgery I've had nothing but problems: I know what hell is like because I've been there and back."

Wayne isn't exaggerating his Zimmer NexGen problems, according to countless other knee replacement patients. Many people with NexGen knees are experiencing the same symptoms as Wayne: constant pain, reduced range of motion and "popping" sounds—in Wayne's case, for the past 10 years. To make matters worse, Wayne isn't getting any help from his orthopedic surgeon so his only recourse is the legal route—filing a lawsuit against Zimmer Holdings Inc.

"An attorney called me just a few days ago," says Wayne. "I explained my situation and verified that I have the NexGen—I have my medical records in front of me and the lot number; once the law firm has reviewed my file I'm going to proceed with a claim." Wayne is one step ahead of many Zimmer NexGen complainants: he has all his medical records. And if you have to undergo revision surgery, attorneys ask that you keep any parts of your initial knee replacement system…

"I had the Zimmer NexGen knee replacement back in 2001, and since day one, I've heard severe popping sounds," explains Wayne. "My orthopedic surgeon told me it would just go away—in my lifetime? Interestingly, in my second week of physical therapy my therapist said I was given an obsolete knee, and I believe her. I can't even bend my knee more than 80 degrees; If I walk on uneven ground my knee just collapses and I take a tumble; and I hate steps the most."

And that's not all: Wayne has had to give up his two passions—hunting and hiking. He had to trade in his previous car and buy a 4-wheel drive with an extended cab that allows more room to put the seat back. "I have to use cruise control all the time because my knee locks up on me; I have a heck of a time getting out of the car. I like to build things—I'm a carpenter and a certified welder—but I can't do that anymore. And worse, I can't even ride my Harley anymore. I can't even fly a plane because I can't get into the cockpit.

"We have a train nearby—I'm thinking of lying on the track and having a train run over my leg, that's how bad it hurts."

Wayne went back to his surgeon but got nowhere and he won't consider revision surgery. "I'll just have my knee removed and put a piece of wood on the end of my leg," Wayne says, laughing. At least he hasn't lost his sense of humor…

"After my surgeon blew me off, I went to a knee clinic and was told that I just had to put up with it," Wayne says. "Nobody has ever given me a solution and it's no wonder that I don't trust doctors anymore. Some time after I had the NexGen knee, I saw my family doctor because I had a bad cold—I hardly ever go to doctors. I told him that I had my knee replaced. 'You did what?' he said; he was pissed at me big time. I asked him what his reply meant but he wouldn't say a word. In law enforcement it's always CYA—Cover Your Ass; in other words he didn't want to say anything negative about my surgeon—his peer, in case I was considering a medical malpractice suit, but I'm pretty sure the device is defective, just like my therapist said. This NexGen knee has to be loose—how else can this popping for the past 10 years be explained? My knee swells big time but what can I do?

"There is one thing I can do: If anyone I know says they are considering a knee replacement, I try to talk them out of it. Of course I base this on my own situation, but I've also seen many people in therapy who are suffering. And now I'm discovering online and through my attorney the number of people who are filing claims against Zimmer for its defective NexGen knee."