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Patients start claim over DePuy ASR™ Hip Replacement

Malcomson Law are currently acting for Claimants who are likely to have to undergo revision procedures or, alternatively, have already undergone revision procedures as a result of being implanted with the DePuy ASR™ component.

It is now understood that the DePuy ARS™ metal-on-metal hip replacements have been found to have a high failure rate and to cause high levels of metal ion release into patients who have been fitted with the device. The device was withdrawn from the Australian market in December 2009. It is also understood that, since 2008, the U.S. FDA have received in the region of 300 notifications of adverse reactions associated with these hip replacements.

By March 2010, DePuy Orthopaedics in the U.S. voluntarily recalled metal-on-metal Hip Replacement System ASR™ effective from that date.

It appears that, in the U.S., DePuy Orthopaedics issued its effective recall of its ASR™ Hip Replacement devices because the earlier than expected failure rate of these hip replacements was causing problems well beyond those normally experienced by hip replacement patients. Some patients who received these hip replacements have suffered intense pain, weakness in the hip areas and, in addition, required further operative intervention almost immediately.

Malcomson Law continues to receive instructions to pursue Defective Product Claims on behalf of patients who are now becoming aware of their injuries, rights and ability to sue for damage arising out of the consequences of this defective device. In fact, most evidence appears to point to a defective design in the hip implants, including a lack of appropriate design of many metal-on-metal implants with unfortunate and serious consequences for patients who receive them.

Obviously, as time progresses, questions will materialise as to whether there was a failure in design of the ASR™ Hip Implant System. In addition, it should be noted that a very competitive market existed in respect of metal-on-metal hip implants arising out of the popularity associated with such an implant device. As a consequence, companies manufacturing hip replacement devices sought to achieve a proportion of the market and time will now determine as to whether the desire to achieve market share caused any shortfall in either design or quality and precision.

It is now becoming apparent that non-cancerous tumours, sinew damage, aseptic lymphocytic vascular and associated lesions (ALVAL) are associated with these metal-on-metal implants which can contribute to particularly aggressive necrotic erosion of tissue. Also, metal debris and deposits have been found to build up very early on in the implant's life cycle, potentially causing problems in addition to inflammation, damaged muscles and soft tissue which often leaves patient users with no option other than to undergo further revision surgery. Patients who are considered as being at risk will be tested for high levels of metal compound within the blood.

Also, it would appear that women and people with weak bones are disproportionately affected by the defective metal-on-metal DePuy ASR™ Hip Replacement System.

In those circumstances, advice should be sought for the purposes of ascertaining as to whether such patients are entitled to financial compensation, or some other form of relief, for the injuries now occasioned in circumstances where there is a defined limitation period and additional strict deadlines for the purposes of institution of Court proceedings.

Please note the following articles for more information about DePuy Hip Implants and advancing a DePuy Hip Implant action against said manufacturer:

1.'Defective Products - DePuy Hip Implants - Overview and Potential Claims'.

2.'Defective Products - DePuy Hip Implant Problems - Pain, Metal Ion Release, Early Revision and Replacement'.

Raymond Bradley, Managing Partner of Malcomson Law on RTE News, click here to view.

If you have suffered harm or injury from a defective DePuy Hip Implant then please contact Malcomson Law on (01) 8744422 or complete an Online Enquiry Form.

This news section contains stories of interest from publicly available news sources. Where we are representing the clients referred to in the news material we will say so. Where we do not represent individuals or bodies mentioned or quoted, the inclusion of the news story in our news section is not intended nor should it be taken to imply that we act for the individual or body concerned.