The DePuy Recall: Hip Implant Maker Knew About Defects Before the Recall
When DePuy Orthopaedics, a Johnson & Johnson division, ordered a worldwide recall two of its hip replacements, the ASR XL Acetabular System and the ASR Hip Resurfacing System, it already knew of data showing their higher than expected failure rate. Specifically, according to a March 2010 New York Times article, DePuy already knew of problems with its hip replacements five months before the recall.
In Australia, where thousands of DePuy hip replacement products were sold, the complaints were continuously increasing for some time. A director of an implant database stated that DePuy’s decision to completely remove the products from the market by the end of 2010 was already too late. Even before the recall DePuy issued in August this year, DePuy already halted the sales of ASR hip replacement devices in Australia.
The FDA in the United States in 2007 already received about 300 complaints regarding the ASR hip implants. The “cup” of the DePuy ASR hip implants did not go through clinical trials nor gained approval. When the news of the failing hip implants first came out, DePuy tried to put the blame on the surgeons stating the surgeons were installing the implants wrong. Then DePuy started sending letters to doctors informing them that its ASR devices would be less effective for women, persons of short stature, and those with weak bones. This just shows that DePuy acted too moderate after finding out its products were flawed.
A poorly designed metal-on-metal hip replacement implant such as DePuy’s can cause the metal ions to scrape off the components. When the ions are scraped, they can spread to the surrounding tissues and the bloodstream, causing pain and damage. Usually, a hip replacement device lasts for 15 years, but most of the ASR hip replacements from DePuy have been found to last for a mere 5 years. If a recipient’s hip replacement has failed, he or she must undergo a second, difficult “revision” procedure, which can be very expensive.
DePuy’s recall has come too late, and many people are already affected. If you have a DePuy hip replacement and believe you are affected by the recall, contact one of our Depuy hip recall lawyer for a free consultation to better understand your rights.