Published online in June 2013 (print Jan. 2014) in The Journal of Arthroplasty, a study titled “The Effect of Acetabular Inclination on Metal Ion Levels Following Metal-on-Metal Hip Arthroplasty.” aimed to determine the degree to which the specific positioning of DePuy ASR hip replacement components changed blood metal ion levels in hip replacement patients.
While all DePuy ASR hip replacement systems are associated with metal dissemination – the wearing off of tiny metal particles into the blood (something that may lead to a myriad of medical conditions ranging from severe skin irritation to cancer), these researchers determined that “The correlation between inclination angle and cobalt levels was significant only with small femoral components, although it was still weak.”
Though other researchers have found that certain metal-on-metal hip replacement angles are associated with increased blood metal ion levels, due to this weak correlation, these researchers concluded that “the acetabular inclination angle is not a meaningful determinant of metal ion levels in ASR arthroplasties.”
It is important to realize that simply because this research team did not find that certain DePuy component orientations lead to more or less metal ions in the blood, this research did not conclude that the DePuy ASR doesn’t leak metal ions into the blood, the team merely found that no certain positioning was more advantageous in that regard.
Due to the fact that a number of people have used DePuy ASR metal-on-metal hip replacement systems unaware of the risk for elevated blood metal ion levels and subsequent premature device failure, a number of DePuy ASR lawsuits have been filed.
If you or a loved one used a DePuy ASR hip replacement and suffered an ASR complication or negative side effect, you may be entitled to significant financial compensation for your undue pain and suffering. For a free, no-obligation case consultation, contact our team of DePuy ASR lawyers
at the information provided below. We have the skills, resources, and experience required to win the justice you deserve.
(855) 452 – 5529
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.