Zimmer Hip Places Blame Everywhere But On Themselves

In February 2011, the Food and Drug Administration stated that there are "unique risks" for "metal-on-metal" artificial hips because tiny metal ions can wear off and damage nearby tissue. Patients who have received all metal implants should be aware of potential symptoms which may occur after surgery and indicate that their device is not functioning properly. Common symptoms may include: pain in the groin, hip or leg, swelling at or near the hip joint and a limp or change in walking ability. The Zimmer Durom Cup was approved in the United States in 2006 for use during total hip replacement, or total hip arthroplasty. The component has been implanted in over 12,000 patients. According to information released by Zimmer, some doctors have encountered post-hip surgery problems requiring Zimmer hip revision surgery as much as 5.7% of the time.

The Zimmer NexGen recall affected 68,384 knee components, which were distributed in 13 states across the U.S. Zimmer has, specifically, suspended sales of the Durom Cup in the United States and asked doctors to stop implanting them immediately. It is their belief that doctors are not using the proper surgical technique required to avoid problems. In its release, Zimmer admitted that the Durom cup was failing at a higher than expected rate. However, it went on to blame surgeon error rather than the Durom cup. Orthopedic surgeons familiar with the Durom have disagreed, indicating that the widespread nature of the Zimmer hip failures shows the problem to be with the cup and not surgeon error. The company has announced that they will correct the product’s labeling to provide more detailed instructions to doctors and implement surgical training programs in the United States.

Problems with the Zimmer Durom were put in the spotlight on April 22 of 2008 when a highly respected orthopedic researcher, surgeon, and director of the Dorr Institute for Arthritis Research and Education, wrote a letter to his colleagues at the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons, criticizing the device. In his letter, Lawrence Dorr, MD, reported that 14 of the 165 Durom hip systems implanted at his clinic needed to be surgically revised within two years of implantation. Those suffering from Zimmer hip implant failure are advised to contact an experienced Zimmer hip lawyer immediately.