Tag Archives: unsafe hip implants

FDA Investigates Metal Implants

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The Food and Drug Administration ordered 21 manufacturers of hip implants to determine if those devices are causing people to become ill. The fact that hip implants are made from metal may result in damage to organs, along with symptoms such as shortness of breath, numbness, and weakness due to metal seeping into the bloodstream. Despite the implant being marketed as better than others, it may result in more problems, especially for younger individuals who had the implant. Approximately one-third of 250,000 hip replacement operations were metal-on-metal. “We’re seeing a lot of problems,” Dr. Roy I. Davidovitch, a surgeon at New York University Hospital for Joint Diseases. One man who received an implant and had it removed said it felt like “having a fire taken out of your body,” according to news reports.

As a personal injury attorney, my thoughts are with those harmed by an unsafe device. If you or someone dear to you believe you were adversely affected by a consumer product, you may want to discuss your claim with an attorney who can evaluate your claim and help protect and defend your legal rights. With an attorney on your side, you are more likely to get the results you deserve for your case. An attorney can guide you through the steps associated with your case and answer any questions you may have when they help you with your claim.

FDA Holds Meeting to Discuss Failing Hip Implants

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A two-day meeting is being held by the Food and Drug Administration in order to critically analyze metal-on-metal implants for those failing hips. The replacement hips were implanted in nearly half a million Americans, and were found to fail earlier than they should. The metal implants were suggested to not wear as quickly and be less likely to dislocate, although data shows otherwise. “Hip replacements are supposed to last between 10 to 15 years, but more than 6 percent of patients with metal hips needed them replaced after less than five years,” according to CBS News. Research also shows that those who received the implants should get blood tests in order to see if metal components have entered their blood stream. “In my personal opinion there is very little room, if any, for metal-on-metal implants because the alternatives we have on the market are likely safer and as effective,” said Dr. Art Sedrakyan, professor of public health at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York.

As a personal injury attorney, I highly advise that everyone with a metal-on-metal hip implant make an appointment with their doctor in order to check for potential failure or other symptoms caused by wear and tear. If you or someone dear to you believe you were adversely affected by an unsafe product, discuss your claim with an attorney who can evaluate your case and help protect and defend your rights.

FDA Receives Over 5,000 Reports of Hip Implant Problems

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The unique threat of metal-on-metal implants is being discovered by researchers. All implants will release debris, but all-metal implants pose a particularly special problem because scavenger cells inside the body will convert the debris into biologically active metallic ions. This results in a reaction that may annihilate muscle and tissue. Doctors are attempting to pin-down those at highest risk and how to monitor them.

Studies suggest the number of patients affected by metal-on-metal hip replacements will drastically rise due to the tissue destruction caused by metal ions. All-metal hips fail at a rate three times higher than metal-and-plastic hips. The Food and Drug Administration has received over 5,000 reports concerning issues relating to the all-metal hips. One patient received a hip surgery that left him with significant pain. He researched doctors, then went to Boston to see a specialist, who has co-authored studies linking metal debris to aberrant tissue growth. His caseload has tripled over the last year.

As a metal on metal hip recall lawyer, I hope you do not experience any of the painful symptoms associated with the implants. If you or a loved one are harmed, discuss your case with a Germantown personal injury attorney.

FDA Orders Study on Hip Implant Manufacturers

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The Food and Drug Administration has mandated that all producers of “metal-on-metal” artificial hip implants perform studies of patients who had the device implanted. The studies will help determine if the implants are releasing metal ions into a patient’s bloodstream. 20 manufacturers were informed about the rule enforced by the FDA requiring postmarket studies on the device. This may also cause the FDA to analyze processes which allow the implants to be approved with very little clinical testing.

According to the New York Times, there are a range of problems associated with one of Johnson & Johnson’s hip implants in particular, which were predicted to fail in half of all patients. An official for the FDA said the concerns of hip implants warranted a review. Manufacturers now have 30 days to propose a plan of study with the FDA. Levels of metallic ions in the blood stream in patients will also be tested. For an “approved class of devices, “This is the largest group of studies that we have asked for,” said an official for the FDA.

As a Maryland DePuy hip recall lawyer, I look forward to hearing the results of these studies. If you or a loved one were affected by a product recall, discuss your case with a Baltimore personal injury lawyer.