A Florida man is suing Howmedica and Stryker in a new Accolade hip replacement lawsuit and is claiming that he was forced to undergo hip revision surgery because of a defective device.

Plaintiff Stewart P. was implanted with the Stryker Accolade hip implant system in his left hip on Jan. 19, 2009. A few years after the device was implanted, he says he began experiencing discomfort in his left hip, his Accolade hip replacement lawsuit claims.

Doctors examined him and discovered no sign of infection or malposition of the Accolade hip implant system. However, further testing showed that Stewart was experiencing metallosis, trunnionosis and soft tissue inflammation at the site of his Accolade hip implant system.

Metallosis is a metal poisoning of the soft tissue and bone around a metal implant device. Trunnionosis is a fracturing of the trunnion portion of the hip implant.

According to his Accolade hip replacement lawsuit, on Jan. 15, 2015, Stewart underwent a hip revision surgery, just six years after his original implant surgery. Hip implants can be expected to last up to 20 years.

Revision surgeries are more complicated procedures than initial hip replacement surgery, and they often come with a greater risk of complications.

During Stewart’s revision surgery, much more serious metallosis and trunnionosis was discovered that had caused soft tissue damage around his Accolade hip implant.

Stewart’s Accolade hip replacement lawsuit asserts that he has had to undergo “extensive rehabilitation” after undergoing the revision surgery. He claims that he “has suffered and continues to suffer both injuries and damages including but not limited to past, present and future physical and mental pain and suffering; and past, present and future medical, hospital, rehabilitative and pharmaceutical expenses and other related damages.”

In fact, the Accolade hip replacement lawsuit states, many of Stryker’s metal-on-metal hip replacement systems were recalled in 2017. Part of the Accolade system, the LFIT 40 femoral heads, were recalled because of problems like dislocation of the femoral head, fractured hip stem trunnions, excessive metal debris and excessive wear debris.

This recall cites complications such as the need for revision surgery, inflammatory response, adverse local tissue reaction, dislocation and periprosthetic fracture. Stewart’s Accolade hip complications were some of the same complications that were listed in the recall notice.

Because of the nature of a metal-on-metal hip implant system like the Accolade, small bits of metal can be released into the surrounding tissue, causing metallosis.

Stewart claims that there is a simple and inexpensive blood test that can be given hip implant patients to see whether or not they are experiencing this form of metal blood and tissue poisoning. If elevated levels of cobalt, chromium or titanium are found in the blood, this can be a sign of metallosis.

The plaintiff in this Accolade hip replacement lawsuit is listing causes of action as negligence, defective design, manufacturing defect, failure to warn, breach of warranty.

This Accolade Hip Replacement Lawsuit is Case No. 8:17-cv-01546-MSS-TBM, in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida, Tampa Division.