Many of our DePuy hip defect clients are now learning after an absence of symptoms bad enough to require re-replacement, that they have elevated levels of Chromium and Cobalt in their blood, which have rocketed up above safe levels and they now need a "revision" surgery ( a "revision" in this context means another hip replacement ).
The increasing number of revisions is consistent with reports in some medical journals that re-replacements ( aka "revisions" ) for DePuy victims are on the rise.
The British Orthopedic Society, for instance, has found that ASR hip implant re-replacement rates may reach as high as 49% of patients implanted with the device after six years of use . Unfortunately, it seems there is no time at which a DePuy implant patient can feel he or she has made it "home safe."
An ASR patient who has no problems in the first through fourth years after initial surgery may nevertheless experience a "failure" in the fifth year. What's worse is that when an ASR device fails, it often causes injury to, or the death of, soft tissue ( muscle, ligament, cartilage, tendon ) within the hip. This makes it much harder for the patient to return to good function following the re- replacement surgery.
The device is composed of cobalt and chromium as well as other metal compounds. At the microscopic level, with normal use, ions of cobalt and chromium break away from the hip implant. Over time, the body tries to clear this debris.
The ions enter the bloodstream and, over time, may cause problems elsewhere in the body, including neurologic and cardiac symptoms. The end result is that many doctors have opted to remove the DePuy ASR implant as soon as possible to avoid the risks of continued exposure to cobalt and chromium.
At Walkup, Melodia, Kelly and Schoenberger, a majority of our ASR clients have required revision surgery. This statistic is in keeping with the published literature, and underlines the importance of getting prompt follow-up care with your doctor if you have an ASR hip implant.
Any person who has an ASR hip implant in place should make certain they are being followed by competent medial specialists to fairly and accurately assess the continued benefit versus risk of leaving their hip implant in place. At the same time, patients should also talk to a personal injury attorney skilled in the area of medical device litigation to be informed about their rights, the applicable statute of limitations and the best course of action for them to protect themselves legally going forward.
Walkup Melodia attorneys currently represent more than 175 DePuy victims and are available for no-fee no obligation consultation on the phone or in person to discuss your legal rights with you. Contact us online or call 888-799-3968 today.
