Over 300,000 individuals have hip replacement surgery in the United States each year. A surgery on your hip is pricey, the average cost for a hip replacement surgery in 2010 was $17,510. According to the Center for Disease Control, the same year Stryker, a popular hip replacement manufacturer, introduced their ABGII and Rejuvenate hip implants, there were 327,000 surgeries involving total hip replacement.

Who is Stryker?

Stryker is a leading medical technology company. Originally based out of Kalamazoo, Michigan, the company began in 1941 when Dr. Homer Stryker, an orthopedic surgeon invented new medical devices to address his patients’ needs. Thus, Stryker Orthopaedics was born. Today, Stryker has a number of medical products and services they claim are aimed to help patients receive the best care.

The Defective Design of Stryker Hip Implants

Originally intended to bring hip joint pain relief for patients, Stryker created several models of hip implants. Stryker designed their Rejuvenate and ABG II hip implants to maximize stability while also minimizing bone stress. Their method was using metal on metal hip implants to achieve this. The metal pieces were supposed to be resistant to corrosion however the junction where the two metals met allowed for the metals to grate against each other, releasing metal toxins and debris into the body.

Stryker hip implants were approved under the 510(k) Premarket Notification Process since there were other similar medical devices already on the market. This avoided expensive clinical testing and, as a result, the devices were never implanted in humans prior to their public release. By the time victims began reporting negative side effects, many patients were already seriously injured. This has caused many victims to come forward and file hip replacement lawsuits against Stryker.

Side Effects of Stryker Hip Replacement

The hip implant Stryker created has caused a number of severe side effects in patients. Serious side effects of the Stryker hip replacement include:

• Metallosis – Tissue poisoning as a result of metal ions and fragments
• Necrosis – Tissue and bone death because of metallosis toxicity
• Osteolysis – Dissolution of necrotic bone tissue, caused mainly by metal toxicity
• Systemic metal poisoning – Inflammation in the body due to metallosis entry into the bloodstream
•  Bone fracture – Bones surrounding joint may weaken and fracture
• Pseudotumors – False tumor formation surrounding the joint due to inflammation
• Revision Surgery – Replace the implant after severe adverse effects
• Reconstructive surgery – Surgery needed due to weakened bone tissue resulting in fractures of femur or pelvis

Stryker hip implants may cause an immune system reaction and inflammation due to metal poisoning which may result in headaches, fatigue, rash, and infection.

Minor side effects of the Stryker hip replacement include:

• Pain in the area of the implant, abdomen, and groin
• Difficulty standing or walking
• Loss of muscle mass due to immobility
• Inflammation in area of implant, abdomen, and groin
• Dislocation of the hip

The Stryker Hip Replacement Lawsuit

The malfunctions caused by poor hip implant design have caused victims to come forward with a lawsuit against Stryker. Hip replacement recovery takes an extensive amount of time already, as a hip joint is not an easy thing to mend, and many victims of the Stryker hip replacement recall are forced to undergo additional hip replacement surgery. Individuals are stepping forward to join the Stryker hip replacement lawsuit to obtain compensation for:

• Medical expenses
• Pain and suffering
• Loss of consortium
• Loss of wages
• Other damages

If you or someone you know has suffered from hip pain or needed an additional hip surgery after receiving a Stryker hip replacement, you may be entitled to substantial compensation. Stryker Orthopedics may have wrongfully misled consumers and their physicians. If you were injured as a result, you need the personal injury lawyers at Brindisi, Murad, Brindisi & Pearlman on your side. We are offering free consultations to victims who are interested in joining the Stryker hip replacement lawsuit. So don’t wait! Contact The People’s Lawyer today.

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Tags: Stryker Hip Replacement Lawsuit, Defective Medical Devices