A new lawsuit has been filed in the Stryker Hip MDL currently underway in Louisiana Eastern District Court under federal judge Michael North.

This recent lawsuit alleges that the Rejuvenate Modular hip stem, as manufactured by Howmedica Osteonics, doing business as Stryker Orthopaedics, caused injuries to the plaintiff and his spouse.

Plaintiff Eido D. and his wife Eileen D. brought forth this action following complications linked to Eido’s Stryker metal hip implant, and specifically the Rejuvenate Modular hip stem that was implanted in his left hip.

Eido initially had the Rejuvenate Modular hip stem implanted into his left hip in July 2010. Due to complications with the device, he will undergo surgery to explant the device in February 2017.

It was not until October 2016 that Eido became aware that the Rejuvenate Modular hip stem was responsible for his injuries. The plaintiff had bloodwork done at this time, and the results showed that his abnormal blood tests were a result of the defective Rejuvenate Modular hip stem device that he had implanted.

Eido’s blood work showed excessive levels of both chromium and cobalt in his blood. Chromium and cobalt are the metals used in the allegedly defective Stryker metal hip implant, and these materials apparently leached into Eido’s blood, causing him to develop metal poisoning, also known as metallosis.

Due to his personal injuries and the loss of spousal companionship suffered by his wife Eileen, Eido and his spouse have brought forth a number of allegations against the manufacturers.

These include negligence, strict products liability for defective design, manufacturing defect and failure to warn, breaches of express and implied warranties, violation of consumer protection acts, loss of consortium, and unjust enrichment, among others.

The couple is seeking compensatory damages, statutory damages and attorneys’ fees and costs, prejudgment interest, restitution and disgorgement of profits and any additional relief as deemed proper by the Court.

Metal Poisoning from the Rejuvenate Modular Hip Stem

Metal-on-metal hip implants like the Stryker hip implant that Eido has are notorious for causing problems linked to metal poisoning.

Metal-on-metal hip implants are designed in such a way that the metal components touch each other during normal patient movement. This causes friction of the metal parts, and tiny particles of metal are released from the implant into the patient’s body.

Once the metal is released into the body, a number of complications can result. These complications include:

• Severe pain and inflammation
• Tissue death surrounding the implant, which can lead to the device loosening
• Allergic reactions to the metal
• Bone deterioration surrounding the implant
• Pseudotumor or cyst formation surrounding the hip implant
• Endocrine disturbance
• Cognitive difficulties
• Headaches
• Emotional disturbance

Other hip implant devices do not have a metal-on-metal design, and thus do not have the problems of metal leaching into the body. Typically, there is some type of liner that prevents the metal components from touching, reducing the likelihood of metal toxicity in the body.

As in Eido’s, case, the only way to assist the body in healing from the metal poisoning is to remove the implant from the body and replace it with another implants that does not have a metal-on-metal design.

Device explant surgeries and subsequent hip revision surgeries typically pose a greater risk to patients due to the additional problems caused by the initial hip implant.

The Rejuvenate Modular Hip Stem Lawsuit is Case No. 2:17-cv-00122, and is part of the Stryker Hip MDL, In Re: Stryker Rejuvenate and ABG II Hip Implant Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2441, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.