Across the United States, including Tennessee, there are many recipients of a Stryker Rejuvenate or ABGII hip implant who have suffered serious health issues following implantation. These two Stryker models gained FDA approval in 2008 and 2009, yet shortly thereafter the FDA began receiving adverse reports from consumers. By April, 2012 enough problems had been reported that Stryker issued an urgent field safety citing the two hip implants were more likely to suffer fretting and corrosion which in turn could lead to metal toxicity or hip implant failure. Shortly thereafter the recall was issued. It is believed there were approximately 20,000 of the ABGII and Rejuvenate implants sold prior to the recall and that the majority of those were implanted into patients. Although the United States does not have a comprehensive database of medical devices, each doctor and hospital does keep records of which device was implanted into each individual patient.
The Problems with the Recalled Stryker Hip Implants
Fretting and corrosion which occur in these Stryker metal hip implants can lead to tiny shards of metal shearing away from the hip device. These metal ions burrow into the surrounding hip tissue or entering into the bloodstream. Those cobalt and chromium ions which lodge into the hip tissue can lead to severe inflammation, chronic pain and tissue and bone deterioration or necrosis. When this occurs, it is likely the hip implant will suffer total failure and a revision surgery will be necessary. The cobalt and chromium ions which enter the bloodstream can cause many different adverse health symptoms, many of them extremely serious. At the time of the Stryker hip recall, the company stated the failure rate to be somewhere around 12%--considerably higher than the “normal” failure rate of 3-5%. Independent studies placed the failure rate considerably higher.
Lawsuits Over Recalled Stryker ABGII and Rejuvenate Hip Implants
Over 160 Stryker ABGII and Rejuvenate hip device lawsuits have been filed in New Jersey with more filed across the United States. There are individuals in Tennessee who are searching for an experienced Stryker hip attorney. Because the Stryker Corporation generates well over $8 billion dollars annually, the company is likely to put considerable financial resources toward the pending lawsuits. Because of this, Tennessee residents should seek out a Stryker hip attorney with the background and knowledge necessary to handle the case from start to finish.
How Your Tennessee Hip Attorney Can Help
Many patients who have attempted to file a lawsuit against Stryker for harm suffered from the ABGII and Rejuvenate have been turned away because the devices are not “true” metal-on-metal implants due to the use of a ceramic ball. An experienced Stryker hip lawyer can be an invaluable resource for those victims of a recalled Stryker hip implant in Tennessee. Many patients have had their lives changed forever following their Stryker hip implant and a Stryker Hip Attorney can fight for your rights and fight for compensation for your medical expenses, pain and suffering, and lost wages.