A new study funded by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration reports that artificial hip implants are more likely to prematurely fail and need replacement for female patients, according to a CBS News story.
The story says researchers at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City analyzed the results for 35,000 hip implant recipients. They found that women were almost 30 percent more likely than men to need a repeat surgery within the first three years.
Those results applied no matter what type of hip implant was used. But the story notes that all-metal hip implants have been in the news lately because of ongoing litigation over their tendency to break down after a few years, and to leave toxic metal debris in patients’ bodies.
More than 10,000 people have filed lawsuits over hips manufactured by Johnson & Johnson subsidiary DePuy Orthopaedics alone, and the first of those cases has gone to trial in Los Angeles.
According to the story, the difference may be due in part to the fact that women tend to have smaller joints and bones than men, so they tend to need smaller artificial hips.
Devices with smaller femoral heads, which are the ball-shaped part of the ball-and-socket joint in an artificial hip, have a greater tendency to dislocate and require surgical repair.
But since the difference applied regardless of size, researcher speculated that some other factor may also play a role – possibly women’s different pelvic and hip anatomy, or unknown activities specific to women that make them more vulnerable to a dislocation or higher wear.
You should consult with a doctor if you have any ongoing symptoms or health concerns from a DePuy hip implant. If you have significant injuries, you should also consult with a DePuy hip lawyer to discuss your legal rights.
See the story here: