Failed medical devices contribute enormously to U.S. health care costs, largely because it can take years to notice a problem with a prosthesis and issue a recall. In July 2010, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recalled DePuy ASR hip implants more than two years after reports of the device failing early emerged.

There could be an answer to the slow recall process of joint implants, however. Experts say a national joint registry could allow for more accurate performance statistics and speed up a recall.

As a Maryland DePuy hip recall lawyer, I think the U.S. should learn from countries like Australia, Britain, Norway and Sweden, which already have joint registries that allow for more accurate performance statistics. The registry allows doctors to make better product choices for their patients.

There are nearly one million implant surgeries in the U.S. each year, worth $6.7 billion to medical device manufacturers.

While some have questions about initial and long-term funding for a national joint registry, the benefits that could come from knowing more information could benefit both companies and patients.

Preliminary efforts are underway for a pilot American Joint Replacement Registry (a non-profit endeavor), but if successful, the data would not be available until 2012.