Defect hip and knee joint replacement implants are all too common. Defective implants and joint components can require multiple, extensive surgeries to correct, cause years of pain, and the injuries they cause can be permanent. Several manufacturers have produced defective implants. Some of the defective implants have been recalled. Typically the problems involve some sort of failure of the device, but contamination with Staph bacteria has also been a problem with one manufacturer.
Defective Implant Problems
Hip and knee replacement implants can be defective in many ways. For example:
- Poor quality components may chip or break causing the implant to malfunction and/or causing injuries.
- In 2000, Inter-Op joints, made by Sulzer Orthopedics, were recalled due to oil lubricant residue that prevented them from bonding with the bone.
- In 2003, Smith and Nephew cementless implants were recalled because of a design defect in which the surface of the implant did not provide proper bonding with the bone.
- In 2007, the FDA discovered problems with manufacturing and quality control at the Stryker Corporation manufacturing facility. The inspectors also discovered that the facility was contaminated with staphylococcus bacteria.
Problems that patients with defective implants have experienced include:
- Broken and fractured bones
- Pain
- Limited movement of the joint
- Difficulty walking
- Squeaking or noisy joint
- Components that break or chip
- Uneven wear
- Implant that does not bond to the bone
- Staph infection
- Surgery to replace defective implant
- Surgeries to repair damage caused by defective implants
Compensation for Your Injuries
Many, but not all, defective implants have been recalled. If you have been injured by a defective implant you may be entitled to compensation for your medical bills, pain and suffering, disability, and more.
Each case is unique and there are many factors to consider such as how long it has been since the implant was placed, whether the implant has been recalled, and why you needed the implant and what type of procedure you required, and much more.