It is estimated that almost three quarters of a million people will have either a hip or knee replacement surgery this year. The numbers are large and continue to grow with our aging society and increasing numbers of Arthritis sufferers. The surgery is almost commonplace but the risks associated with every surgery remain. Every surgery, even the most routine surgery is fraught with risk. This is major surgery and with a good result, can be a positive life changing event with a substantial recovery time and attendant pain. The risks include adverse reaction to anesthetic, infection, medical malpractice and ultimately the failure or complete malfunction of the implant.
Information continues to be developed through ongoing litigation that many of the manufacturers of these replacement devices have known for some time that the devices were defective and not properly suited for the replacement surgeries they were used in. Many of the implant devices used in both the ‘resurfacing’ and the ‘total’ replacements need to be surgically removed and replaced. These defective devices cause serious pain and the risk of a condition known as metallosis, infection, compromised function and total implant failure. Metallosis is when the metal in the implant breaks down and metal ions find their way into the soft tissues surrounding the implant. The body sees them as foreign bodies and the immune system wants to attack them and this causes many serious problems. The solution to these ‘unexpected’ circumstances is to have an even more risky and expensive second surgery to remove and replace the initial defective implant. This is hardly the ideal solution, but it is, at this point, the only one.
If you are having problems with your implant, seek appropriate medical attention. The result of the device failures are very serious and include debilitating pain, infection and possible cobalt contamination in the blood from Cobalt Metallosis. If you are having trouble or you have one of the defective implants, seek medical attention first. You should also consider seeking competent legal advice regarding your remedies and right to damages and compensation. A second joint replacement surgery will cause great pain, lost income, emotional damage and expose you to all of the risks associated with a second serious surgery. These injuries and damages are compensable and you owe it to yourself and your family to explore your right to monetary compensation.
If you have had a hip or knee replacement and are having problems or concerns you should investigate and if appropriate, you should choose a law firm like the McIntyre Firm who has substantial experience in dealing with defective products and defective medical devices. The McIntyre firm can evaluate whether you have a claim, explain your legal rights and help you evaluate a legal strategy to get the financial compensation you may be entitled to.
I HAD HIP REPLACEMENT BACK IN SEPT. 2012. IN 2015 A CLAMP WAS PLACED ON MY RIGHT THIGH AREA AFTER A SURGICAL PROCEDURE OPENED CAUSING ME TO BLEED OUT. WHEN THE CLAMP WAS REMOVED I FELT SEVERE PAIN IN THE RIGHT THIGH AND THOUGHT IT COULD HAVE BEEN A DEEP BRUISE. ABOUT 3 WEEKS LATER I WENT TO MY ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON AND THE X RAY SHOWED THE IMPLANT WAS BROKEN IN HALF. I WAS IN SEVERE PAIN AND COULD NOT WALK FOR ONE YEAR BECAUSE OF THE PAIN. ON SEPT. 29, 2016 DR. JD COLE OF FLORIDA HOSPITAL ORLANDO REPLACED THE BROKEN IMPLANT WITH A NEW ONE. I HAVE THE BROKEN IMPLANT, WHICH DR. COLE SID HE REMOVED. THE OLD IMPLANT IS HAD IN HALF FROM THE PRESSURE OF THE CLAMP.