Another Hip-Related Recall
There has been yet another metal-on-metal hip recall. According to some recently released information, Smith & Nephew, a British corporation, has voluntarily recalled a piece of one of its hip replacement apparatuses. The company is pulling from the market the metal liner that goes inside one of its R3 Acetabular System, saying that it is not satisfied with the outcome of its clinical trials with the product. The rate of revision (the amount of patients requiring corrective surgery) of 1.6% exceeded the acceptable 1% standard followed by Smith & Nephew.
Since 2009, nearly 8,000 patients have been implanted with the metal liner at issue. Some of those patients have had to have additional surgeries to have the liner removed because of complications associated with the device. Those complications included infection and dislocations, but thankfully did not include “metallosis,” which is a buildup of metal toxicity in the blood stream commonly associated with other metal-on-metal hip replacement systems.
Smith & Nephew’s voluntary recall, together with the recall of other metal-on-metal hip devices such as the Depuy ASR and the general consensus among orthopedics that there is no reason to take the risk of using a metal-on-metal hip, are enough to put medical practitioners and patients on high alert with it comes to hip replacement procedures. Manufacturers of defective products have to be held liable for any damage their products cause. If you or a loved one has been implanted with a metal-on-metal hip replacement, or with a metal liner, please call the Georgia products liability attorneys at Pope, McGlamry, Kilpatrick, Morrison & Norwood, P.C. to schedule a free consultation.
Source: “Smith & Nephew withdraws hip device component,” by The Associated Press, published at Businessweek.com and “Smith & Nephew pulls metal-on-metal hip component” by Reuters, published at chicagotribune.com.
