Metal-on-metal hip replacements, particularly those manufactured by the Johnson & Johnson subsidiary DePuy Orthopaedics such as the ASR and ASRXL, have been associated with a high rate of device failure, requiring “revision surgery” – the surgical implantation of a new prosthetic hip joint.
In a 2006 paper titled “Loosening and Osteolysis Associated with Metal-on-Metal Bearings: A Local Effect of Metal Hypersensitivity?” published in The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, medical researchers Joshua J. Jacobs and Nadim J. Hallab describe another complication associated with the use of metal-on-metal hip implants: metallosis – metal poisoning resulting from high levels of tiny metal particles in the blood that shave off metal-on-metal hip implants with normal wear.
The authors discuss the differences in particles that wear off metal-on-metal implants as compared to those that wear off metal-on-plastic hips: “Even though the volumetric wear rate associated with metal-on-metal bearings is dramatically lower than that associated with metal-on-polyethylene bearings, the number of particles generated from metal-on-metal bearings is actually higher because the particles are an order of magnitude smaller.”
While it may seem to be better that the particles that come off metal-on-metal implants are small, it’s not. The smaller the particles are, the more places in the body the particles can travel to, and the harder they are to remove.
Due to the fact that a number of people have used metal-on-metal hip implants, particularly the DePuy ASR/ASRXL models which were recalled in 2010, unaware of the risk for metallosis and other complications associated with these devices, a number of DePuy ASR hip replacement lawsuits and metal-on-metal hip replacement lawsuits have been filed.
If you or a loved one used a DePuy hip implant and suffered negative side effects as a result, you may be entitled to significant financial compensation for your injuries. For a free, no-obligation case consultation, contact our team of DePuy ASR hip replacement lawyers at the information provided below. We have the skills, resources, and experience required to win the justice you deserve, even from the largest of pharmaceutical manufacturers.
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Our DePuy ASR™ / ASR™ XL Hip Replacement Lawsuit Information page is a great place to start if you have any questions about DePuy ASR metal-on-metal hip replacements.