Are You Effected by the Hip Recall?

If you’re over the age of 60, it’s very likely that either you or someone you love has had a hip replacement. These operations, around for almost 40 years, have become increasingly more common as seniors live longer, and want to live healthy and active lives.

The only issue with hip replacements have been their need to be replaced every ten years on average. If you are young when you receive your implant, this can become a problem as you age. To help solve this issue, the Zimmer hip implant was invented. However, it has been proven to be faulty, leading to a massive hip recall.

A hip replacement can be exactly what an older person needs to continue a healthy and active lifestyle without pain. As we age, parts of our body that are constantly under use and stress begin to wear. Because the average American is living such a long life on average, many of these parts start to wear out. One such part of the body is the hip joint. A hip joint that is not functioning properly can lead to large amounts of pain during normal, every day activities. That is why these joints are often replaced with they type of device that is part of the hip recall.

The hip recall is targeted to a device made by the Zimmer Durom company. This device was used for those needing a hip replacement at a younger age than is normal. For most of those receiving a hip replacement, their lifespan will not be longer than that of the normal device, which is about ten years. But for those in their fifties and sixties, the possibility of outliving an implant, and needing it replaced with more surgery, is high. Therefore, the device in the hip recall was marketed as having a much longer life, meaning it would be much less likely to need replacement during a users lifetime.

Zimmer holdings has released a recall of their Zimmer Durom cup hip implant.  There are Zimmer hip lawsuits pending in multiple states across the US.  If you or a loved on has been subject to a Zimmer Durom implant, then you may want to contact a Zimmer Hip Lawyer to see if you have a case.

 

These claims were actually false. At a clinic where many of the devices were installed, a doctor noted that twelve percent of patients who received the Zimmer Durom implant needed to have them surgically replaced within two years. This number is much higher than it should be given their claims of longevity, and it much higher than that of even a traditional implant. The discrepancy led to calls for a hip recall. Zimmer Durom claimed that the high failure rates at the clinic were caused by doctor error, but in fact, in their own internal study, seven percent of the devices failed within two years. Because of this high number, the company pulled the hip replacement device in July 2008.

If you or a loved one received a hip replacement at any point before July 2008, contact your doctor immediately to see if it is part of the hip recall. If it is, even if you do not need an immediate surgical replacement, you may be qualified to join a class action suit against the Zimmer Durom company.