Friday, June 15, 2012

High Hip Replacement Failure Rate Linked to Manufacturer

The recent Zimmer Durom Cup issues were first noticed by prominent orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Larry Dorr, in 2007. He identified a high rate of problems with the Zimmer Durom Cup, where his patients were experiencing excruciating pain after their hip replacement which was being caused by the artificial hip socket separating from the bone, instead of fusing with it. After his concerns were dismissed by Zimmer, he published an open letter to his colleges in April 2008, which eventually led Zimmer to investigate the Durom Cup problems. While Zimmer’s own estimates in 2008 suggested that some doctors in the United States experienced failure rates as high as 5.7%, more recent claims made in Zimmer Hip lawsuits suggest that the artificial hip failure rate is between 20% and 30%.
More than 200,000 potentially defective Zimmer NexGen knee replacement components may have been used throughout the United States, which could have caused thousands of people to experience problems or require additional Zimmer knee revision surgery due to early failure of their knee replacement. In September 2010, several Zimmer NexGen knee recalls were issued for different components used in their knee replacement systems due to design or manufacturing problems. Certain Zimmer NexGen MIS components were recalled due to a high number of reports of problems associated with the devices. In addition, certain Zimmer NexGen LPS knee components were recalled due to inconsistent geometry and non-conforming designs.
What is considered to be modern hip replacement surgery has been in effect since the 70′s, which is why the idea may seem so commonplace. A hip replacement, such as those from Zimmer Durom, most commonly consists of three manufactured pieces, engineered to replace and duplicate the operation of a joint. They include a metal replacement for part of the femur. There is also a component which facilitates natural movement that simulates a natural joint, lastly is the bone cement and / or screws that hold it all together. Thousands of individuals are entitled to compensation for their suffering. Victims of Zimmer hip failure are highly advised to contact an experienced Zimmer hip lawyer as soon as possible.