A man from Wisconsin alleges he suffered long term consequences of Stryker hip implant failure and claims the Stryker Corporation and subsidiary Howmedica Osteonics failed to warn him against the allegedly defective nature of the device.

This Stryker metal hip lawsuit is joining growing multidistrict litigation (MDL), consisting of claims alleging patients had suffered from the design defects of metal on metal hip implants.

Plaintiff Mitchell M. says he had the Stryker LFIT Anatomic CoCr V40 Femoral Head and the TMZF Accolade Stem metal hip components implanted on his left side for typical treatment purposes in late August 2008.

Several months later, Mitchell allegedly underwent hip replacement surgery again getting the same metal on metal hip implant system on his right side on Dec. 8, 2008.

While there were reportedly no initial implant complications, Mitchell says he eventually had to have at least one of the femoral heads of the hip implanted explanted on Feb. 6, 2019. According to the Stryker metal hip lawsuit, Mitchell is contending with severe long term pain in relation to the company’s metal on metal hip implant components.

One of the main factors that reportedly contributed to the Stryker hip implant failure was metallosis. Mitchell alleges his medical records indicated he had excess levels of cobalt and chromium in his bloodstream.

Mitchell opted to file legal action after recently learning that at least one of the metal on metal hip implant components he was implanted with was recalled from the market. Mitchell says that he could not have known about the risks at the time the Stryker metal on metal hip replacement system was recommended.

Overview of Stryker Metal Hip Implant Complications

Like other hip replacement systems, the Stryker LFIT hip implant system is often recommended for patients suffering from damaged or deteriorated hip joints.

According to the Food and Drug Administration, metal on metal hip implants are composed of alloys and have no ceramic or plastic components, which means there is no barrier between the artificial ball and socket joints. the lack of a barrier allegedly causes metal ions to be shed into the bloodstream and can lead to the development of metallosis, or blood metal poisoning.

According to a study published in the Journal of Functional Biomaterials, this condition can lead to many other painful complications for patients including:

• Debilitating Pain
• Limited Range of Motion
• Corrosion
• Fretting
• Infection
• Tissue Death
• Formation of Pseudotumors

These complications eventually spurred Stryker to issue a voluntary recall of certain models of their LFIT Cobalt Chromium V40 femoral heads due to a large number of injury reports of alleged Stryker hip implant failure.

It is important to note that this is not the first time Stryker has issued a recall of metal on metal hip implants due to metallosis. The company recalled their Rejuvenate and ABG II hip replacement systems recalled in 2012.

Even though the effects of metallosis can be devastating to patients, Stryker allegedly failed to warn patients against these complications. Mitchell contends he would not have agreed to have the Stryker metal hip implant system implemented, if he had known about the potential device complications.

Mitchell’s Stryker metal hip lawsuit is joining MDL No. 2768, where it will be streamlined through the litigation process. Mitchell’s Stryker metal hip lawsuit alleges counts of negligence and failure to warn.

This Stryker Metal Hip Lawsuit is Case 1:19-cv-10272, in the U.S. District Court of Massachusetts.