September 14, 2012 – So far this month, medical technology giant Stryker Orthopaedics has been hit with seven new product liability lawsuits involving plaintiffs who allege that the company’s recalled Rejuvenate hip stem caused their artificial hips to fail prematurely. The suits claim that design defects caused the hip replacements to loosen and move out of position, requiring the plaintiffs to undergo painful revision surgery to correct the problem. The first Stryker Rejuvenate lawsuit was filed late last month, involving allegations nearly identical to those in the recently filed complaints.
Free Stryker Rejuvenate Hip Lawsuit Evaluation: If you or a loved one suffered a serious injury after being implanted with a Stryker Rejuvenate replacement hip, you should contact our law firm immediately. You may be entitled to compensation by filing a suit against Stryker and we can help.
What’s the problem?
The new Stryker Rejuvenate hip lawsuits were filed in New Jersey Superior Court in Hackensack. Unlike most artificial femoral hip components, which involve one piece, the Rejuvenate consists of a metal neck that fits inside of a metal stem, which allows the implant to be customized to the patient’s specific anatomy and hip biomechanics. Despite initially being considered a revolutionary new concept for prosthetic hips, the Rejuvenate has been plagued with reports of the metal components rubbing against each other, leading to pain, swelling, local tissue reactions, and premature failure of the device.
Due to an ever increasing number of reports of these types of complications, in July 2012 Stryker decided to issue a nationwide recall for the Rejuvenate modular neck hip stem components. While similar implants are designed to last between 15 and 20 years, the Rejuvenate was recalled after less than four years on the market. Stryker itself confirmed that the modular neck stem was inherently flawed, and had been found to suffer from loosening, corrosion and fretting.
The new complaints accuse Stryker Orthopaedics of negligent design and manufacturing of the Rejuvenate. Upon removal of the devices, the plaintiffs indicated that their surgeons found fluid-filled pseudotumors, tissue necrosis, and muscle loss around the area where the implant was removed. All of these complications are indicative of adverse tissue reactions caused by metal poisoning (metallosis).
Although the Rejuvenate modular neck stem was only on the market for less than four years, it is expected that the number of lawsuits filed over the device will increase rapidly in the coming months and years, as former implant recipients come forward who have experienced similar debilitating health complications.
Do I have a Stryker Rejuvenate Hip Lawsuit?
The Medical Device Litigation Group at our law firm is an experienced team of trial lawyers that focus on the representation of plaintiffs in Stryker Rejuvenate Hip lawsuits. We are handling individual litigation nationwide and currently accepting new injury cases in all 50 states.
Free Stryker Rejuvenate Hip Lawsuit Evaluation: If you or a loved one suffered a serious injury after being implanted with a Stryker Rejuvenate replacement hip, you should contact our law firm immediately. You may be entitled to compensation by filing a Stryker Rejuvenate injury suit and we can help.