Stryker Hip Replacement Lawsuit Information

Millions of hip replacement surgeries have been performed since the very first implant surgery in 1960. While the devices being implanted today are very different from the ones used decades ago, unfortunately, some of them come with problems and issues that were unheard of back then.

Hip implant device maker Stryker is embroiled in legal battles over the safety and efficacy of their Meridian, Citation, and Accolade devices when they are paired with the LFIT-V40 femoral head. In fact, lawsuits filed across the country are claiming these devices corrode and cause recipients to suffer serious consequences, including metal toxicity.

If you received a Stryker Meridian, Citation, or Accolade device paired with the LFIT-V40 femoral head, contact us today to learn if you are eligible to seek compensation for your injuries.

Important Warning Video

Metallosis

Metal-on-metal hip replacement devices have a reputation for breaking, dislocating, loosening, and shedding metal debris into the body, including the Stryker Accolade, Citation, and Meridian TMZF stems when paired with the cobalt and chromium LFIT anatomic V40 femoral head. These mixed metal components may denigrate the structural integrity of the unit as a whole. As the hip implant fails, it sheds microscopic metal particles into the body. These particles can cause permanent damage and a serious condition called metallosis.
When metal-on-metal hip devices corrode, and shed metal debris, the device may loosen, break, or dislocate, while causing the recipient to suffer bone loss (osteolysis), tissue death (necrosis) and metal poisoning (metallosis).

Stryker Hip Failures Aren’t New

Many recipients who have already filed legal complaints against Stryker allege that the mode of failure in these devices is like the failures in Rejuvenate and ABG II which the maker recalled in 2011. Instead of recalling the Accolade, Citation, and Meridian TMZF stems, the company instead changed the metal of the stem from TMZF titanium to Ti-6AI-4V titanium alloy, a more commonly used implant material. They gave no reason for abandoning TMZF, a material they claimed was 20 percent stronger than the Ti-6AI-4V alloy.

Thankfully, hip replacement device recipients who suffered injury from the Stryker Accolade, Citation, Meridian implants may be eligible to seek compensation. Call us now to learn more.

Research

Several studies have highlighted the issues plaguing the Stryker Accolade, Citation, and Meridian devices, including a study published in Orthopedics in 2014 finding when coupled with the LFIT V40 heads, the implants “show greater corrosion” than those with like alloys and caused significantly increased blood metal ion levels in patients who received them.

In 2015, the Association of Bone and Joint Surgeons published a study finding that the premature failure of these devices could be caused by corrosion at the junction of the stem and femoral head. Also, that year, the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery Incorporated published a study suggesting that recipients may experience pain, dysfunction, suffer substantial metallosis, and require revision surgery for spontaneous catastrophic failures at the junction of the stem and head.

Another study published in Orthopedics in 2015 nearly 35 percent of the 351 patients with metal-on-metal hip replacements experienced pain and significantly higher levels of cobalt and chromium. The study also found a nearly 1 in five revision rate.

A disconcerting study published in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery in 2016 found that some mixed metal hip devices generated increasing levels of metal ions for up to five years after being implanted.

Recipients of Stryker metal-on-metal hip implants may be able to seek financial compensation for premature failure and ensuing injuries. Contact us today to learn more.

Recall

The catastrophic failures of the Stryker Meridian, Citation, and Accolade hip, when coupled with the LFIT-V40 CrCo heads, are nearly identical to those seen with the Stryker Rejuvenate and ABG II hip replacement devices.

Stryker Fails to Recall Devices

What’s important to know is that Stryker ordered a recall of the ABG II and Rejuvenate hip devices in 2012, just months after issuing an Urgent Field Notice warning of device fretting and corrosion at the junction of the neck leading to bone and tissue death, significant pain, and metal poisoning. The fretting and corrosion of the junction of the ABG II and Rejuvenate systems are the same as what is being seen at the junction of the Stryker Citation, Stryker Meridian, and Stryker Accolade stems and LFIT-V40 heads yet Stryker decided to leave these devices on the market and quietly change the metal used in the head.

If you or a loved one received one of these Stryker hips and experienced a serious complication like dislocation, breakage or failure and you developed severe bone and tissue loss or metal poisoning, contact us today. You may be eligible for compensation.

Metal-on-Metal Malfunctions

Recipients of Stryker metal-on-metal hip implants were warned by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that device malfunctions might present as leg, hip, or groin pain, hip swelling, popping, squeaking, clicking or grinding at the hip joint.

Hip Implant Malfunctions Lead to Metallosis

Device malfunctions can create friction between the components causing metal debris to shed into the body, which can deteriorate the bone and tissue surrounding the joint, leading to loosening and failure. When these metal ions enter the bloodstream, it can cause serious adverse reactions including, thyroid dysfunction, kidney damage, hearing changes and vision loss, heart muscle damage, cognitive impairment, depression and other psychological changes.

Lawsuits are being filed across the country on behalf of patients who were harmed by the Stryker implants alleging the Accolade, Citation, and Meridian hip implants with the LFIT-V40 head are defective, prone to corrosion, fretting, and premature failure, and can cause dangerous metal poisoning. If you were harmed by one of these Stryker implants, you might be able to seek financial compensation for your injuries. Call now to learn more.

Adverse Events

Patients who receive the Stryker Meridian, Stryker Citation, or Stryker Accolade are experiencing serious adverse events, including premature device failures that allow metal ions to seep into the blood stream and cause permanent tissue and bone loss.

Some of these patients have filed complaints alleging that the design of certain Stryker hip devices are more likely to fret and corrode at the junction of the TMZF stem and the cobalt and chromium femoral head. As this occurs, tiny metal particulates enter the blood stream.

These metal particles can affect major organs and cause serious adverse events including cardiomyopathy and weakening of the muscles of the heart, hearing and vision damage, psychological changes including cognitive impairment, skin reactions, and can affect how the thyroid works.

As the device fails, the recipient may notice a popping or grinding of the hip joint and pain that is felt in the leg, hip, or groin. The recipient may also notice swelling at or near the joint of the hip and may develop a limp or have difficulty walking.

If you or a loved one developed metallosis or were forced to undergo risky revision surgery because of premature failure or device fretting and corrosion, contact us today. You may be able to seek financial compensation for your injuries. Call us now to learn more.