For patients who have had revision surgery after having initially been implanted with a hip subject to the DePuy ASR recall, there is a DePuy ASR hip replacement settlement available to compensate patients. This settlement designates beenfits for patients who have undergone revision surgery in March 2015 or later.

The device subject to the DePuy ASR recall is a metal-on-metal hip implant that features components that were linked to serious complications. Approximately 37,000 hips have been subject to the DePuy ASR recall for these metal hips. According to at least one study, about 13% of patients implanted with this implant have had to undergo a revision surgery to correct problems caused by the device.

Reasons for the DePuy ASR Recall

The DePuy ASR implant suffered from issues that also affected other metal-on-metal hip implants. One of the major issues is that it can cause metal poisoning in individuals who have been implanted with the device. Unlike other implants in which metal parts do not touch, a metal-on-metal hip implant has metal moving parts that work against each other, causing small particles of metal to slough off from the device.

These metal particles containing cobalt and chromium can enter into nearby tissue in the patient’s bloodstream. When the metal ions reach nearby tissue, they can cause tissue death. When the tissue around the implant dies, it can cause the device to loosen, leading to dislocation or fracture. Pseudotumors may also form the areas adjacent to the metal hip implant. Pain, inflammation, and noise from the device are common.

When metal particles enter the bloodstream, they can cause endocrine disruption and organ damage. Some issues that have been reported include thyroid dysfunction, kidney dysfunction, heart problems such as cardiomyopathy and degenerative heart disease, bone strength reduction, and more.

The only way to halt the progression of issues caused by the hip implant that led to the DePuy ASR recall is to have the implant removed during a revision surgery and have a different hip implant system implanted in its place. Otherwise the problems could continue and worsen. Other supportive therapies in addition to hip revision surgery may be needed for some patients in order to restore their health.

In a series of hip implant lawsuits over the device that is now the subject of the DePuy ASR recall, Johnson & Johnson agreed to pay a total of $600,000 as a settlement for three separate lawsuits in 2012. In all three cases, the patients went on to need revision surgery to correct the problems posed by the initial implant.

For the current DePuy ASR recall settlement available to revision surgery patients, eligible claimants may receive up to $500,000 in compensation for the issues they have suffered as a result of the DePuy ASR implant. Navigating the process to obtain the settlement is not easy and straightforward, and legal help to navigate the intricacies of the process is highly recommended to patients so they can be eligible to receive as much of the award as possible to which they are entitled.

An attorney familiar with the DePuy ASR recall settlement process can provide you with a free case consultation to help you had in the right direction as you consider taking part in the settlement.