Over 8,000 hip Implant Patients Told Their Hip Device May Need To Be Revised

Johnson & Johnson, a multinational manufacturer of pharmaceutical products, is confronted with a multi-million pound claim. According to reports, thousands of implant patients in the United Kingdom have been informed that their hip replacement surgeries needed to be reversed. They claimed that the company's ASR hip replacement systems were defective, causing problems for many patients.

Ever since their hip replacement surgery, several implant patients with ASR hip devices complained of severe pain and difficulty walking. This led a number of them to file a class action lawsuit against DePuy Orthopaedics, the orthopedic division of Johnson & Johnson. The class action lawsuit might cost the manufacturer around 350 million pounds.

Over 5,000 implant patients have been called back to their hospitals to have their hip replacement devices checked. These patients are being checked for problems related to the hip systems, such as tumors and heavy metal poisoning.

Implant recipients who had DePuy's faulty hip devices reportedly suffered from severe pain, which resulted from the corrosion of the hip device components. According to reports, the metal components released tiny metal particles as they wear, causing inflammation and tissue damage.

Medical experts say that metal particles are normally present in the human body. However, test results show that recipients of DePuy's ASR hip replacement systems have extremely high levels of metal in their systems. Moreover, the test results of some patients showed that the metal levels in their blood were a hundred times higher than normal.

Sylvia Docherty, an implant recipient from Stockton-on-Tees, has been in pain ever since her hip replacement surgery. Back in May 2005, she was diagnosed with arthritis. After struggling to walk for a long time, her physicians advised her to undergo hip replacement surgery. At that time, DePuy's ASR hip device seemed to be her best option.

However, after the hip replacement surgery, Docherty suffered severe pain on the hip area. She claimed that the hip device damaged the soft tissue surrounding her hip. Moreover, based on her report, high levels of chromium and cobalt were found in her blood. She stated, “My mobility has been so bad it feels as if my life has been put on hold.”

Reports of complications associated with the ASR hip systems started to surface following its market release. After several concerns were raised, DePuy Orthopaedics recalled its ASR hip replacement systems. However, for some individuals, the recall came too late. As a result, several hip replacement lawsuits were filed. Moreover, many injured patients who have not yet filed a claim have approached personal injury lawyers for assistance. Additionally, information on lawsuits against hip device manufacturers may be found on law firm websites, such as the Rottenstein Law Group's www.rotlaw.com.