Hip Fracture Replacement Problems

Hip fracture is almost always a serious concern. Older individuals must be acutely aware of hip problems during falls or impacts. As individuals age they naturally lose bone density and therefore are at enhanced risk of hip injury.   When a fracture occurs, natural recovery can be slow and often incomplete. Therefore, hip surgery or replacement is frequently advised.   While technology and technique has certainly improved over time, there are still a myriad of problems that can arise. In addition, occasional recalls from hip replacement manufacturers cause undue complications in the process.

What is a Total Hip Replacement?

For severe hip injury a partial or total replacement may be called for. The total hip replacement is also relevant for individuals with debilitating arthritis.   Total hip replacements generally involve removing the troublesome ball and hip socket. The ball joint is replaced with a metallic/ceramic substitute, and the socket with a plastc/ceramic substitute.   While many replacements use a cementing agent to hold everything together, newer models can utilize “cementless” and porous materials that utilize bone growth from the femur.

Complications From Hip Replacement

Unfortunately, with this kind of invasive surgery, problems can arise.   Some of the more severe complications include blood clot buildups around the newly integrated replacements. These clots can cause a variety of health problems, including respiratory damage.   Some of the smaller but still serious symptoms include trouble with urination, infection, fracture after surgery, general pain, and more.

Hip Replacement Recalls

Even assuming the surgery is a complete success, there have been recalls on hip replacement technology that is beyond the control of the doctor and the patient.   Two important recalls have been made by DePuy Orthopaedics, a leader in the field of hip technologies.  According to http://www.arthritistoday.org:  

“DePuy Orthopaedics, a division of Johnson & Johnson, has announced that it is recalling two types of hip implants because of higher-than-expected early failure rates. The recall affects the ASR XL Acetabular System, which is used for total hip replacements, and the ASR Hip Resurfacing System, which is used in a newer kind of bone-conserving procedure. The total hip replacement system was FDA approved and has been used in patients in the United States.”

Hip Replacement Legal Rights

If you’ve been injured due to a hip replacement medical mistake, or are suffering due to one of the faulty Depuy products, it is time to pursue your legal rights.   In order to find out if you have a true legal case, use our free consultation service. Our job is to evaluate your situation and connect you to the best attorney in your area.   There are many law firms that simply want to collect names for medical malpractice and class action law suits. We can connect you to the firms that are actually looking to take action. Use our online consultation form or call us at 1-800-603-6833.