Lisa Lincoln has filed the first federal Stryker ABGII hip lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts. Her complaint comes nearly one year after Stryker recalled its Rejuvenate Modular and ABG II hip implant parts because of possible risks, such as corrosion/fretting of/around the modular-neck stems.
In her hip injury lawsuit, Lincoln claims that her ABG II system implant caused her to develop a number of health issues, including metallosis, and she has been forced to undergo revision surgery. (High cobalt levels in her blood indicate that this condition was caused by the stem and metal neck rubbing together.) She also said that not even two years after she was implanted with the hip replacement parts, she was already experiencing chronic pain and developed a pseudo-tumor on the back of the acetubular cup.
Meantime, her doctors reportedly found fluid accumulation around her hip implant, which are signs of early failure and loosening. Lincoln is suing for products liability, alleging negligence and breach of express and implied warranties. Her husband is seeking damages for loss of consortium.
ABG II Modular-Neck Hip Stems
Plastic-on-ceramic in design, this hip implant device has two parts that are set up in mental-on-metal fashion. The ABG II modular-neck hip stem, along with Stryker’s Rejuvenate, was fast tracked through the Food and Drug Administration’s Special 510(k) process in 2008. Both medical devices did not undergo tough pre-market testing because they were enough like other devices that were already FDA-approved.
Health complications reported by ABG II hip implant patients include:
• Inflammation • Swelling • Metallosis • Tissue damage
• Bone damage
Some ABG II implant patients are saying that Stryker made fraudulent statements by claiming that the stem and metal neck parts of the device were not likely to corrode or fret.
Metallosis
When metals in an ABG II implant rub together, chromium particles can be emitted, which may be absorbed into the white blood cells. Should Corrosion and oxidization occur, this could cobalt. Genotoxic and very soluble, cobalt can destroy bones and cells, leading to bone loss, inflammation, and pain.
When such serious complications arise, a patient will likely have to undergo revision surgery, which usually requires the removal of the defective hip implant and the insertion of a new device. Such a procedure comes with its own complications and risks-not to mention there is the tedious process of learning how to walk with the new implant. Then, of course, there are the associated costs: more medical bills, physical therapy, lost wages, and other resulting expenses.
You want to work with an experienced hip implant injury law firm that can help you recover your personal injury losses.
Stryker Initiates Voluntary Product Recall of Modular-Neck Stems, FDA, July 6, 2012
Medical Devices, FDA
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After $8.3 Million Verdict, Experts Say Jury Litigation Will Cost Johnson & Johnson Billions for Faulty ASR Hip Replacement Device, Drug Injury Lawyers Blog, March 14, 2013
Hip Replacement Surgery Risks Among Many Reasons Why Stryker Rejuvenate System Defects are a Problem for Patients, Drug Injury Lawyers Blog, January 31, 2013
Johnson & Johnson Must Pay $8.3M Hip Defect Verdict to Retired Prison Guard, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, March 15, 2013