Product News and Recalls

Metal hip components recalled

Stryker Corp. of Kalamazoo, Mich., has announced a voluntary recall of components used in metal hip joints.

A report on CBS 62 in Detroit says Stryker’s Rejuvenate and ABG II modular-neck stems, despite their names, are used in hip implants.

Stryker said the recall was based on reports from the field of corrosion and “fretting,” which is corrosion made worse by abrasive wear. A Stryker news release says: “These risks include the potential for fretting and/or corrosion at or about the modular-neck junction, which may result in adverse local tissue reactions manifesting with pain and/or swelling.”

Metal-on-metal hip implants, which consist of both a ball and socket coated in cobalt and chromium, have generated thousands of complaints worldwide of toxic metal debris breaking off and getting into patients’ soft tissues.

In the United Kingdom, both the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency and a professional group of U.K. surgeons called the British Hip Society have issued warnings about the devices.

DePuy Orthopaedics, a division of Johnson & Johnson, issued a voluntary recall of the devices in 2010 because of metal debris concerns, and the model’s high early failure rate.
Stryker has set up a call center for patients with questions and concerns.

DePuy also set up an information center for patient concerns through their claims settlement company, Broadspire, where physicians are being told to refer their clients. But the “settlements” of which patients are being apprised don’t cover all potential damages, including future injuries as a result of the implants.

If you’ve received an all-metal hip implant, you should consult with a doctor if you have any ongoing symptoms or health concerns. If you have significant injuries, you should also consult with a DePuy hip lawyer familiar with the case to discuss your legal rights.

See the report here:

https://detroit.cbslocal.com/2012/07/08/stryker-recalls-some-hip-implant-products/