DePuy Orthopaedics and parent company Johnson & Johnson are facing a new Pinnacle hip implant lawsuit, alleging a patient developed hip implant metal poisoning from the company’s all-metal hip prosthetic.

The Pinnacle hip implant lawsuit was recently filed by a couple from Florida, alleging the husband suffered severe hip implant metal poisoning due to the defective nature of the device.

Plaintiff couple Robert G. and Christine G. conjointly filed this Pinnacle hip implant lawsuit after discovering other patients had also reportedly developed complications related to hip implant metal poisoning. Like many other prosthetic patients, Robert opted for the DePuy Pinnacle device to restore damaged or deteriorated hip function.

The DePuy Pinnacle device consists of metal-on-metal hip implant components, which are made of a cobalt and chromium alloy. The couple says DePuy assured its customers that it was a good prosthetic choice for patients looking to live an active lifestyle after surgery.

With these benefits in mind, the couple says Robert underwent a total right hip replacement surgery on Nov. 28, 2005.

Overview of Hip Implant Metal Poisoning

Not long after the surgery, Robert allegedly began experiencing serious complications from hip implant metal poisoning.

According to the Pinnacle hip implant lawsuit, Robert suffered severe inflammation, pain and discomfort, especially when moving to and from a sitting position. The couple says it was later determined that Robert’s blood, tissue, and bone surrounding the implant had been suffering from the effects of hip implant metal poisoning.

Due to the severity of these injuries, the couple says Robert had the DePuy Pinnacle hip implant explanted on Sept. 18, 2018. Robert allegedly continues to suffer from the long term effects of hip implant metal poisoning, and opted to file legal action after discovering other patients had reported similar injuries.

The Pinnacle hip lawsuit points out that there are over 1,300 injury reports regarding serious Pinnacle hip implant complications, with most of them linked to hip implant metal poisoning.

Hip implant metal poisoning can be caused by the all-metal hip implant components interacting and shedding metal ions into the bloodstream. This causes metal ion levels in the blood to rise to dangerous levels, which can cause a multitude of serious problems including:

• Inflammation
• Infection
• Fretting
• Debilitating pain
• Limited range of motion
• Formation of pseudotumors

It is important to note that these complications are often only fixable through revision surgery which is considered riskier than the initial implant surgery due to higher risk of infection.

When metal on metal hip implants were first released onto the market, they were thought to be overtly superior than plastic or ceramic models. However, this has not been the case for numerous patients who have reportedly suffered the effects of hip implant metal poisoning. Even though the effects of hip implant metal poisoning can be devastating to patients, DePuy allegedly failed to warn the public.

At all times relevant, Robert and Christine say they relied on the marketing materials and product information provided by the manufacturer. Robert states he would not have agreed to use the Pinnacle hip implant if he had known about the effects of hip implant metal poisoning.

This Hip Implant Metal Poisoning Lawsuit is Case No. 3:18-cv-02987-K, in the U.S. District Court of Northern Texas, Dallas Division.