Osteoarthritis Patients with Pinnacle Hip Replacements Likely to Pursue a DePuy Lawsuit
Recent statistics show that over 20 million people are affected with osteoarthritis in the United States. This type of degenerative arthritis is caused by the breakdown and subsequent loss of cartilage in one or more joints. Osteoarthritis is the most common progressively worsening type of arthritis that needs total hip replacement surgery. Patients with osteoarthritis that are recipients of a defective DePuy Pinnacle hip replacement should avoid a possible statute of limitations and utilize their legal option of pursuing a DePuy Pinnacle lawsuit without delay.
The most commonly parts of the body affected by osteoarthritis include the hands, feet, spine, and large weight bearing joint such as the hips and knees. The two classifications of osteoarthritis are primary and secondary. The majority of cases fit the category of primary osteoarthritis, which has no known cause. When the cause of the osteoarthritis is attributed to another disease pathology, it is referred to as secondary osteoarthritis.
Primary osteoarthritis is attributed mainly to aging and has an increased frequency in elderly patients. With aging, an increase in water content in the cartilage degenerates the protein foundation of the cartilage. As a result, the cartilage between the bones and joints is lost, causing friction between the bones, which leads to pain and limitation of joint mobility. Joint pain and swelling can also be caused by repetitive use of worn joints, which irritate and inflame the cartilage.
Secondary osteoarthritis is due to other diseases or conditions, which include obesity, repeated trauma, surgery to joint structures, congenital abnormalities, gout, diabetes, and other hormone disorders. Aside from aging, obesity is the most powerful risk factor causing osteoarthritis in weight bearing joints. Obesity leads to osteoarthritis by augmenting the mechanical stress on the cartilage.
Total hip replacements are recommended in patients with osteoarthritis when there is progressively intense chronic pain and impairment of daily activities, which include walking, climbing stairs, and even rising from a sitting position. Hip replacement surgery is generally considered after the pain becomes so severe that it hinders normal function despite the use of anti-inflammatory and/or pain medications. Patients that are undergoing total hip replacement should know the risks regarding the procedure and the types of devices that are being used. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has currently received over 1,300 complaints associated with the Pinnacle hip replacement with the majority of these focusing on the premature loosening of the device from the bone, which leads to device failure and multiple DePuy Pinnacle lawsuits.
DePuy has budgeted almost $1 billion in the past for patients being harmed by their defective devices. If you believe you are entitled to proper compensation because your quality of life has been affected, go to the DePuy Pinnacle lawsuit website now to have your case evaluated by an experienced attorney free of charge.