Smith & Nephew Hip Replacement

As we get older, our bones and joints can wear down, causing pain, arthritis, and deformed joints. When patients are eligible for hip replacement surgery, it can provide great relief. Unfortunately, some patients were given defective hip replacement devices. Metal-on-metal designs caused metal ions and metal debris to enter the bloodstream.

Thousands of hip implant lawsuits have been filed against medical device manufacturers, including Smith & Nephew. If you suffered pain or required revision surgery because of a defective hip system, contact an attorney with experience in Smith & Nephew hip replacement lawsuits.

What Is a Hip Replacement System?

Hip replacement surgery is a procedure to treat hip pain and joint dysfunction of the hip joint. An artificial implant replaces parts of the hip joint. Also called hip arthroplasty, the surgical procedure can help patients with pain relief and allow them to return to normal hip movement and daily functions.

Hip replacement systems provide an artificial replacement of parts of the hip joint. The parts include the ball or femoral head, the socket in the pelvis or hip bone, and the socket liner. Artificial hip systems can be made up of plastic, metal, or ceramics.

What Is the Smith & Nephew Hip Replacement System?

According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) safety summary, the Birmingham Hip Resurfacing (BHR) system was approved for use in 2006. Indications for the BHR system include inflammatory arthritis and non-inflammatory arthritis. There are warnings against patients on certain medications or co-morbidities, like diabetes. There was a possibility of increased metal ion concentration.

What Are the Dangers of a Metal-on-Metal Hip Joint?

Surgeons rarely use metal-on-metal artificial surfaces because of the dangers. However, not long ago, many of the artificial devices were metal-on-metal systems. Movement between the metal liner could corrode and wear down the metal surface, releasing metal ions and metal particles.

Patients suffered metal poisoning or metallosis from metal getting absorbed into the bloodstream. Other dangers and side effects included:

• Hip dislocation
• Blood clots
• Surgical site infection
• Bone fracture
• Nerve damage

According to the FDA, metal-on-metal hip implants have “unique” risks compared to the risks that come with all forms of hip implants. Some of the cobalt and chromium ions can enter the bloodstream. Over time, some implants cause damage to bone or surrounding tissue. Soft tissue damage can lead to increased device failure rates, pain, and the need for revision surgery.

Can You File a Defective Device Claim After a Hip Implant Injury?

If you can find the doctor was negligent in the hip implant product surgery, you can file a medical malpractice claim against the doctor. However, the doctor may have thought the hip device was safe.

If the product was dangerous as marketed to patients and health care providers, you may be able to file a product liability claim against a manufacturer. A product liability lawsuit can hold the manufacturer liable for damage caused by a defective product. Metal-on-metal hip implants could be dangerous, based on:

• Defective design
• Manufacturing defects
• Improper warnings

With a product defect claim, you don’t have to prove negligence. Instead, you show that the device was defective and caused an injury.

There have been thousands of Smith & Nephew lawsuits filed by patients suffering serious injuries. According to some of the claims, the BHR system caused metal ions to migrate into surrounding tissue, causing pain, metallosis, and bone and tissue necrosis. A class action lawsuit consolidated several of these claims in Maryland.

How Can a Defective Medical Device Attorney Help?

A defective medical device attorney is familiar with product defect claims and how to recover compensation for your losses. A product defect claim can help you and your family get damages for:

• Medical bills
• Lost income
• Additional corrective surgeries
• Pain and suffering

Smith & Nephew is not the only hip replacement producer to market metal hip joint systems. There have been other recalls and lawsuits involving device manufacturers:

• Biomet
• Stryker
• Zimmer

If you suffered pain, dislocation, nerve damage, or required revision surgery, you may be able to file a defective device claim. Contact a hip implant replacement lawsuit attorney for legal advice about your claim.