DePuy Orthopaedics is facing a new lawsuit brought by a Minnesota couple who claim that hip replacement surgery led to severe and debilitating metal hip replacement problems.

Plaintiffs Barbara and Mark F. filed the hip replacement surgery lawsuit in Texas federal court. Barbara underwent a total metal hip replacement in October 2008 where she received the DePuy Pinnacle hip implant.

During hip replacement surgery, a surgeon replaces the body’s natural joint with an artificial ball and socket.

Total hip replacements are designed to help relieve pain and improve joint function in people with severe hip degeneration due to arthritis or trauma.

As such, DePuy markets its Pinnacle metal hip replacement system as resisting wear and tear of the bearing and thus lasts longer – suggesting that the device can function well for 30 years.

DePuy indicates that the Pinnacle metal hips are “’Designed for active lifestyles’, allowing physicians to ‘help [their] patients never stop moving.”

However, just six years after her hip replacement surgery, Barbara was forced to under go revision surgery due to the metal hip replacement problems.  After the surgery, doctors discovered that Barbara had metallosis (metal poisoning) and “metal-on-metal debris” in and around the area surrounding her hip joint.

Additionally, by undergoing revision surgery, Barbara was placed at further risk and may experience poorer outcomes compared to her original hip replacement surgery.

The lawsuit cites a specific study that found hip revision surgery has a considerably higher risk of dislocation and higher risk of infection compared to original hip replacement surgery.

The hip replacement surgery lawsuit also states that revisions also reportedly have a shorter lifespan and a longer recovery period and result in more long-term pain and discomfort and a smaller range of motion than the first hip replacement surgery.

Due to her Pinnacle metal hip replacement problems, Barbara is suing Depuy Orthopaedics for continuing to manufacture and sell what she and her husband allege is a unreasonably dangerous and defective medical device.  Her husband joins the lawsuit with claims of loss of consortium, or loss of intimacy with a spouse.

Failed Hip Replacement Surgery

Patients who reported metal hip replacements problems associated with DePuy hip implants and needed corrective surgery complained of pain, swelling and difficulty walking. Other signs of DePuy metal hip replacement failure may include:

• Thigh pain
• Pain upon walking
• Pain when standing from a seated position
• Unexplained hip pain
• Groin pain
• Pain with weight bearing

Experiencing Problems With the DePuy Pinnacle Hip Implant?

While a DePuy Pinnacle recall has not yet been issued, patients who have been implanted with the hip replacement system have reported a number of DePuy Pinnacle metal hip replacement problems, including unexplained hip pain and premature hip implant failure.

If you were implanted with a DePuy Pinnacle metal hip replacement and are experiencing hip implant problems, you may be entitled to financial compensation. A hip implant attorney can evaluate your claim, at no cost to you, to determine your eligibility for a DePuy Pinnacle lawsuit.

The DePuy Hip Replacement Surgery Lawsuit is Case No. 3:11-MD-2244-K in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas.