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DePuy™ Hip Recalls

DePuy™ Recalls Hip Implants

If you or a loved one received a hip implant manufactured by DePuy Orthopaedics, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, read the following information carefully.

People receiving hip implants with the DePuy ASR XL Acetabular System™ and the DePuy ASR Hip Resurfacing System™ have undergone a high rate of repeat surgeries, known as revision surgery, due to possible defects in two hip replacement systems. The manufacturer has recalled the hip replacement systems because of their high rate of failure.

Defects related to the metal-on-metal design have led to metal shedding into the bodies of patients, resulting in soft tissue damage, inflammatory reactions and eventual bone loss.

Other serious concerns include:

• Loosening of the cup – when the implant detaches from bone

• Dislocation – where two parts of the implant become misaligned

• Fracture – where the bone around the implant may break

Thousands of hip replacements take place each year and are usually successful. However, this may not be the case for patients undergoing hip replacement using the devices manufacgtured by DePuy, some of which may be defective.

According to a Bloomberg News report, lawsuits over the Johnson & Johnson DePuy ASR hip implant have been filed in state court in Los Angeles and federal courts in San Francisco and New Jersey, alleging DePuy was aware of defects in the design but did nothing to correct the flaws or protect patients.

DePuy™ had announced it would discontinue the design in 2009 to focus on more modern, emerging technologies.

Data compiled by the National Joint Registry (NJR) of England and Wales originally revealed the unusually high revision rate which led to the recall. The report noted that device head sizes smaller than 50 mm in diameter, and devices implanted in female patients, had the highest rate of failure. Data further reveals one in eight patients will be forced to undergo a second hip replacement surgery due to defects in the ASR system.

David Floyd, president, of DePuy Orthopaedics, stated via the company’s official press release, “We regret that this recall will be concerning for patients, their family members and surgeons,” said. “We are committed to assisting patients and health care providers by providing information through multiple channels and paying for the cost of doctor visits, tests and procedures associated with the recall.”

 DePuy will cover “reasonable and customary costs” related to monitoring, treatment and revision surgeries associated with the ASR recall.

Some 93,000 DePuy hip replacement systems have been sold, with the goal of implanting the devices in patients. Potentially, this could signify thousands of future lawsuits, as investigation into the defective devices continues.