Wright Profemur Corrosion

wright-profemur Wright Profemur is a medical hip implant device that has been manufactured and sold in the United States since 2001. In 2009, due to the modular necks breaking in half, Wright changed the composition of the modular necks from titanium to Cobalt/Chromium. Since the change, thousands of patients across the country have had this device implanted into their bodies. But Profemur devices are prone to corrosion at the modular neck and femoral stem junction, which may cause patients to suffer severe health issues.

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The Battery Effect

Corrosion at the modular-neck junction of the Wright Profemur hip replacement device is the result of the junction between the cobalt/chromium modular neck and the titanium femoral stem. The designed application of placing two dissimilar metal alloys together in a corrosive environment (the body) creates galvanic corrosion, or “the battery effect.”

The corrosion causes cobalt and chromium debris, corrosion and ion cast-off that may be detectable through blood tests. Patients with this implanted device have experienced severe pain, swelling and a compromised device that ultimately leads to failure and requires replacement via hip revision surgery. Tissue destruction caused by the corrosion is often seen during surgery and may lead to permanent muscle loss and dysfunction. Many orthopedic surgeons are implementing blood tests and imaging diagnostics to determine whether their patients that have been implanted with these devices are showing signs of component failure.

Symptoms of Corrosion

Pain or swelling around the hip
Elevated serum cobalt or chromium levels
Soft tissue mass
Muscle and soft tissue necrosis
Bone tissue destruction
Presence of metal ions in blood stream

Contact Pope McGlamry

If you have a Wright Profemur Hip Implant and are experiencing pain, see your orthopedic surgeon and primary care physician right away. Then contact our attorneys to discuss your specific legal issues. There is a time limit associated with your legal claim.

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