Product News and Recalls

BMJ Report: Replacement Hips Expose Patients to Potentially Toxic Metals

A report today in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) alleges that metal-on-metal hip replacement surgery has potentially exposed hundreds of thousands of patients around the world to toxic substances.

The report, dated Feb. 28, 2012, states that patients have been misled about their participation in “what has effectively been a large uncontrolled experiment.”

The hip replacement joints in question employ a cobalt-chromium alloy rather than ceramic or polyethylene. The BMJ report states that the procedure has been used close to a million times in the United States.

Multiple studies have warned about the potential of the implants to release toxic metal ions. The BMJ report cites an internal document from manufacturer DePuy dating from 2005, indicating the company’s awareness that the implants might be carcinogenic. Despite that, the company’s marketing materials made no mention of internal concerns, BMJ says. Instead, the internal document concludes that  “the ultimate test is the long term human experience.”

If you received a hip implant, contact Lopez McHugh for a free case evaluation.

See the BMJ report here: https://www.bmj.com/content/344/bmj.e1410