A unit of Johnson & Johnson has issued a recall for certain lots of bone putty, which is used to stop bone bleeding by creating a physical barrier along the edges of bones damaged by trauma or cut during a surgical procedure.
Reuters reports that Synthes issued the recall on July 5, citing the potential for the putty to catch fire if it came in contact with electrosurgical cautery systems during surgery.
The report notes that Johnson & Johnson has been hit by a number of recalls in recent years, including consumer medicines and medical devices.
Johnson & Johnson’s DePuy Orthopaedics division was obliged to withdraw a line of all-metal hip implants in 2010 after nearly half of the patients who received them had to get them replaced within six years. In addition to the high early failure rate, patients had a problem with toxic metal debris breaking off and getting into the soft tissues around the implant.
The company also recently recalled four different types of transvaginal mesh implants, which are used to treat urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse, after hundreds women who had the devices implanted filed lawsuits alleging that they caused severe pain and injury including organ perforation.
According to Reuters, Johnson & Johnson listed charges of more than $3 billion in the latest fourth quarter largely related to the recall of the defective artificial hips.
The Hemostatic Bone Putty recall has been classified as Class I, or the most serious type of recall, Reuters reports.
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 lawyer familiar with the DePuy hip implant or transvaginal mesh case to discuss your legal rights.
See the story here:
https://in.reuters.com/article/2012/08/21/us-jnj-fda-recall-idINBRE87K0WE20120821
