3/11/2011

DePuy ASR Hip - Side Effects

Recalled in August 2010, the DePuy ASR XL Acetabular System total hip replacement and ASR Hip Resurfacing System have been used in more than 93,000 hip replacement surgeries worldwide since they were first approval by the FDA in 2003.
Side effects associated with the hip devices include:
* Prolonged swelling
* Prolonged trouble walking
* Implant does not stay in place, loosens from the bone
* Bone fracturing around replacement site
* Dislocation of implant causing pain and dysfunction
* Metallosis
Many patients have filed lawsuits against DePuy to seek compensation for medical bills and additional expenses associated with the faulty hip devices.

All recipients of the DePuy ASR Hip Implant are entitled to legal compensation for their current and future health issues. For additional information about your legal options, please call 1-800-471-8602 or fill out the form on this page.
The loosening of the hip implant within the body is a side effect associated with the hip devices, which may result in limping and difficulty walking. This often causes the patient to transfer too much weight to the other hip or joints, resulting in additional pain and possible joint or bone failure. Should a patient require additional hip replacement surgeries, each additional surgery typically has a shorter life span than the previous replacement surgery.
Additionally, the DePuy ASR devices are associated "metallosis," a serious condition characterized by rashes and nerve damage. This condition may occur when the metal-on-metal movement of the implant causes friction and releases higher, potentially dangerous levels of chromium and cobalt ions into the body.

Things to Know, Precautions, Things to Ask Your Physician:

DePuy ASR (Articular Surface Replacement) Hip Resurfacing System and ASR XL Acetabular System total hip replacement were recalled in August 2010, as the devices were associated with a high failure rate. Approximately one in eight patients required a second hip replacement within five years.
Studies found that five years after hip replacement surgery, 13 percent of patients with an ASR XL system and 12 percent of patients with the ASR resurfacing system required a hip replacement surgery.
If you received the DePuy ASR XL Acetabular System or ASR Hip Resurfacing System, DePuy or Johnson & Johnson may have reached out to you and sent you documentation regarding the recall of these devices. Patients may wish to speak with a lawyer about their legal options prior to seeing a doctor and signing any paperwork, as patients who sign documents from DePuy or Johnson & Johnson may be signing a waiver that may prevent them from receiving any additional compensation from the company, should medical complications arise in the future.
Though some compensation may be provided to patients from the companies following the recall of the ASR devices, the compensation may not fully cover the expenses that may be incurred following hip replacement surgery. The compansation also does not cover many blood tests or diagnostic tests that may be required by a doctor to ensure a patient is healthy and to check for "metallosis." The financial assistance may not cover additional expenses or pain and suffering, lost wages and loss of earning capacity.
It is important for patients to speak with a lawyer about your options before signing any documents provided by DePuy or Johnson & Johnson. If you wish to learn more about your legal options, please fill out the form on this page or call 1-800-471-8602.