Those harmed by the DePuy ASR hip implant can receive help from Houston law firm.
HOUSTON, TX – In August of 2010, Johnson & Johnson issued a recall of its DePuy ASR Hip Replacement Device. The replacement has been used extensively for over six years here in the United States and worldwide for a decade. It is expected that the recall of the ASR will require patients to undergo a painful surgery for removal and replacement of the faulty implant. Although approximately 93,000 of the ASR devices have been implanted worldwide, DePuy estimates that only 10,000 of those will require revision surgery—many believe this number to be unrealistic.
Metal ions in the ASR can release into the body, damaging tissue and resulting in osteolysis, a condition which causes bones to wear out and become dangerously thin. In fact, Managing Partner, Andrew Sullo states that “What we are seeing is that the DePuy ASR Implant’s ‘metal on metal’ design has resulted in chromium and cobalt blood metal poisoning for many of our clients.”
Before the ASR was recalled a large number of complaints had been submitted to the FDA. The ASR was pulled from use in Australia in December 2009 with an alert being issued in the United Kingdom some six months later. Although DePuy voluntarily issued the recall, it came on the heels of a British Joint Replacement Registry finding that showed at least one in eight of those who received an implant required revision surgery within five years. Overall, the failure rate of the ASR appears to be at least twice the industry average.
Signs that the ASR implant could be deteriorating include pain—sometimes severe—as well as difficulty walking, however whether the patient is having trouble or not they are advised to schedule an appointment with their surgeon who can assess how the implant is functioning. The ASR recipient may also be given blood tests in order to test for metal fragments around the implant—a sure signal of irregular wear. Patients who underwent ASR hip replacement surgery may be entitled to recovery as a consequence of the injuries sustained from the defective implanted DePuy device, including past and present medical costs, wages from loss of work, disfigurement and pain and suffering.
The attorneys of Sullo & Sullo, LLP have been representing the rights of patients who have suffered injuries from the DePuy Hip Implant and will continue to advocate aggressively for their clients’, seeking recovery from the manufacturer and distributor of the faulty device. Managing Partner, Andrew Sullo wants those who have been harmed by the implant to know that “In the end, we want to bring as many victims of the ASR Implant together so we can litigate this matter on their behalf.”
It is important that patients who have the ASR replaced keep the DePuy implant as a critical portion of evidence in a future product deficiency case. Patients are warned to not risk their future legal claims by signing any documents related to the ASR without reliable, independent legal guidance. As with most cases of defective products, time is of the essence and compensatory suits must be recorded prior to the specified deadline or your right to recovery may be lost forever.