Numerous Stryker hip lawsuits are being overseen in the New Jersey Superior Court, each alleging serious complications from the hip replacement implant.

Over 100 Stryker hip lawsuits have been filed in a New Jersey county court with another 223 filed in the District Court of Massachusetts. The lawsuits address complications involving Stryker’s LFIT Femoral Head component.

In August 2016, Stryker announced a recall of their LFIT V40 femoral heads that were manufactured before 2011. The recall was prompted by a large number of reports involving taper-lock failure. Due to the risks associated with the failure of the LFIT V40 femoral head, the FDA designated the Stryker recall as a Class II recall, the second most serious recall category. Over 42,000 units were affected by the recall. The recent recall is thought to have prompted the sudden influx of Stryker hip lawsuits.

Taper-lock failure occurs when the junction between the femoral head and the femoral stem, the part that is implanted into the femur, begins to corrode and loosen. A loss of integrity in this connection can compromise the joint and cause serious problems.

Patients with taper-lock failure in their LFIT V40 femoral head often experience loss of mobility, pain, inflammation, adverse local tissue reaction, dislocation, joint instability, bone fractures around the components, leg length discrepancy, fractured hip stem truncation, excessive metallic debris, insufficient soft tissue tension, noise, and implant construction with a shortened neck length. These problems are cited in many Stryker hip lawsuits.

Although hip revision surgery may remedy the problems caused by taper lock failure in a hip implant, revision surgeries can be complicated and dangerous. Older patients, who are often in need of a revision surgery, may have trouble with the physical trauma associated with revision surgery and its recovery.

In a hip revision surgery, the existing hip implant is removed and replaced with another device, commonly a metal-on-ceramic or metal-on-plastic design. If the existing bone and tissue is damaged from a previous implant or injury, the surgeon may have difficulty finding enough usable bone to mount a new implant. Significant bone loss may require bone grafts or metal augments to allow a new implant to be placed.

As with the original hip replacement surgery, there is no guarantee that the implant will not be rejected by the body, and the patient may need additional surgeries if complications arise.

According to the American Academy for Orthopedic Surgeons, risks of revision surgery include anesthesia complications, dislocation, excessive bleeding, blood clots, leg length inequality, fracture, infection, and further implant failure. More serious risks, which are associated with most major surgeries, include damage to nerves or blood vessels, pulmonary embolism, heart attack, and stroke.

Stryker hip lawsuits argue that the LFIT femoral head should have been manufactured correctly to avoid this problem. Many Stryker hip lawsuits seek to hold Stryker accountable under strict products liability statutes.

If you or a loved one were afflicted with a defective Stryker femoral head, you may be able to join one of many Stryker hip lawsuits to recover compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, permanent disability, loss of consortium, pain and suffering, and more.