The Zimmer Persona knee system has been named in several FDA Class 2 recalls. One covered 11,658 Persona Trabecular Metal Tibial Plates after complaints of loosening and radiolucent lines. The newest began on May 11, 2026.
No Persona class action, lawsuit or MDL exists. The Zimmer knee MDL covers a different product line, the NexGen. The recalls cover implant parts and surgical instruments. They are manufacturer reports and make no court finding.
The tibial plate recall started on January 28, 2015, and the FDA ended it on March 13, 2018. The 2026 augment recall covers one lot of 12 units and remains open.
Latest Zimmer Persona Class Action Lawsuit Updates
May 11, 2026: Persona Revision Augment Recalled
On May 11, 2026, Zimmer began a Class 2 recall of 12 units of the Persona Revision Trabecular Metal Femoral Distal Augment, Size 9. A complaint with no clinical impact found a posterior augment in a distal augment package.
The FDA posted the recall on June 24, 2026, as Z-2578-2026. The status is open and classified, according to the FDA recall record for the Persona Revision augment [1].
March 13, 2018: FDA Ends Tibial Plate Recall
On March 13, 2018, the FDA terminated recall Z-1266-2015 for the Persona Trabecular Metal Tibial Plate, which Zimmer, Inc. had begun on January 28, 2015, according to the FDA record for the tibial plate recall [2].
November 24, 2015: Persona EM Proximal Tubes Recalled
On November 24, 2015, Zimmer Biomet began a voluntary Class 2 recall of 156 Persona EM Proximal Tubes. These are instruments used with the Persona knee. Complaints said the ratchet teeth were not latching onto the rod.
The FDA posted the recall on December 10, 2015, as Z-0410-2016. It terminated the recall on March 24, 2017, according to the Persona EM Proximal Tube recall record [3].
March 12, 2015: FDA Posts Persona Tibial Plate Recall
On March 12, 2015, the FDA posted the recall of the tibial plate. It covered all lots and sizes, a total of 11,658 devices.
The recall followed a rise in complaints of loosening and radiolucent lines. The FDA classed it as Class 2 and numbered it Z-1266-2015, in the same record cited above.
February 3, 2015: FDA Posts Persona Inserter Recall
On February 3, 2015, the FDA posted a Class 2 recall of the Persona Tibial Articular Surface Inserter, recall number Z-1042-2015.
Zimmer had started it on November 25, 2014, over potential fracture of the instrument tip. According to the ICIJ listing of FDA data, the event ended on December 1, 2015 [4].
October 23, 2014: FDA Posts Heat-Treatment Inserter Recall
Zimmer, Inc. started a recall of 618 Persona Tibial Articular Surface Inserters on October 7, 2014. They did not undergo a heat-treatment hardening step, which could deform the tip.
The heat-treatment inserter recall record lists it as Class 2 and gives the recall number as Z-0123-2015. The FDA posted it on October 23, 2014 [5].
September 30, 2014: FDA Posts Persona Female Screw Recall
Zimmer, Inc. began a recall of 16,380 Persona 48 mm x 2.5 mm Female Screws on September 9, 2014. The FDA listed it as Class 2 on September 30, 2014.
The reason was possible use of the screw in cortical bone and stripping of the 2.5 mm hex driver. The Persona female screw recall record gives the number as Z-2737-2014 [6].
August 20, 2014: FDA Posts Persona Tibial Tray Recall
On August 20, 2014, the agency listed a Class 2 recall of 190 Persona tibial instrument trays. The trays may not hold the tibial drill and stop guide in the right position. That could lead to improper sterilization.
The recall began on July 1, 2014. The recall number is Z-2288-2014, according to the Persona tibial tray recall record [7].
What Is the Zimmer Persona Knee System?
According to the FDA 510(k) database, the Zimmer Persona, The Personalized Knee System, is classed as a "Prosthesis, Knee, Patello/Femorotibial, Semi-Constrained, Uncemented, Porous, Coated, Polymer/Metal/Polymer." Its decision date is November 7, 2012 [8].
Who May Be Affected?
People who received a Persona knee system component named in an FDA recall may be affected. That includes the Persona Trabecular Metal Tibial Plate, all lots, sizes C-J left and right, distributed in the United States and abroad.
Since May 11, 2026, it also includes the Persona Revision Trabecular Metal Femoral Distal Augment, model 42-5572-066-10, lot 66232947, 12 units.
The 2014 and 2015 recalls of screws, inserters, trays and tubes involved surgical instruments. They did not involve implants. Whether a person has a legal claim depends on individual facts, and only an individual legal review can say.
Reported Injuries or Damages
No court has made findings on Persona injuries. The Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation created MDL No. 2272 for Zimmer NexGen components, which plaintiffs allege are prone to premature loosening [9]. That MDL does not name the Persona.
FDA recall records give the following manufacturer-stated reasons for Persona actions. They do not prove that any implant failed:
- Tibial plate: an increase in complaints of loosening and radiolucent lines.
- Tibial Articular Surface Inserter: potential fracture of the instrument tip.
- 2026 augment: a complaint with no clinical impact.
For the inserter, the ICIJ listing says a retained tip may cause pain, soft tissue irritation, soft tissue damage or increased wear. It may also lead to revision surgery to remove the tip.
Recall and Regulatory Background
Zimmer, Inc. removed all sizes and lots of the Persona Trabecular Metal Tibial Plate from distribution. Worldwide distribution included the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Korea and several European countries.
Urgent notices went to distributors, hospitals and surgeons on February 16, 2015, and the devices were to be quarantined and returned.
A recall does not prove liability. For related Zimmer products, see our pages on Zimmer knee replacement and the Zimmer NexGen knee lawsuits.
Evidence to Preserve
Records about a Persona knee implant can matter if a problem with it is ever reviewed. Keep these items:
- Implant records and the operative report, with the manufacturer, model, lot and serial numbers from the implant sticker or card.
- Medical records, imaging and notes on pain, loosening or revision surgery.
- Any recall notice you received.
- Purchase, billing and insurance records.
- Photographs and a pain or mobility journal.
- Letters or emails with the hospital, surgeon or Zimmer.
- Any removed implant, kept as the surgeon or hospital allows.
Filing Deadlines
State law sets filing deadlines for injury claims. They depend on where you live and on when the problem with your implant was discovered.
A late filing can end a claim even if the underlying facts are strong. Talk to a lawyer promptly if you have questions about your timing with a Persona knee.
Frequently Asked Questions
Was the Zimmer Persona Knee Recalled?
The Zimmer Persona knee was recalled in parts. FDA Class 2 recalls cover the tibial plate, several surgical instruments and a 2026 augment. The FDA lists Device Design as the cause of the 2014 tibial tray recall.
Does the Persona Recall Mean My Implant Is Defective?
A Persona recall does not by itself mean your implant is defective. Whether your implant was affected depends on its model and lot numbers, which appear on your implant record or operative report. Your surgeon can explain what applies.
Is the Zimmer Persona Recall Still Open?
The Zimmer Persona augment recall is still open. The FDA lists its status as Open, Classified, and gives Labeling Change Control as the cause. It was posted on June 24, 2026.
Where Is the Maker of the Zimmer Persona Based?
The maker of the Zimmer Persona is based in Warsaw, Indiana. The FDA recall record names Zimmer, Inc. of Warsaw as the recalling firm, and the 510(k) number for the knee system is K121771.
References
- https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfRES/res.cfm?id=220738
- https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfRes/res.cfm?id=133978
- https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfRES/res.cfm?id=142018
- https://medicaldevices.icij.org/events/usa-device-recall-zimmer-persona
- https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfRes/res.cfm?id=130279
- https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfRES/res.cfm?id=129382
- https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfRES/res.cfm?id=128824
- https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfpmn/pmn.cfm?ID=K121771
- https://www.jpml.uscourts.gov/sites/jpml/files/MDL-2272-Order_Vacating_CTO-09-12.pdf