An Arizona woman has filed a metal hip implant lawsuit against Stryker Corporation due to the injuries she allegedly suffered from the company’s metal-on-metal hip implant.

Plaintiff Willow F. claims in her metal replacement hip implant lawsuit that as a direct result of using the defendant’s metal hip implant, the Rejuvenate system, she developed severe and almost fatal injuries.

Willow underwent hip replacement surgery on her left hip due to her worsening pain on Dec. 9, 2009 and had the Rejuvenate System implanted. The device consisted of the Stryker’s patented metal alloy, with the ball-and-socket joint composed of this material, according to the metal-on-metal hip implant lawsuit.

Initially, Willow had experienced success with Stryker Rejuvenate system and had another one implanted into her right hip on Jan. 24, 2011. Unfortunately, it was soon after the right hip replacement surgery was performed that Willow started experiencing complications, including extreme pain and device failure, the metal hip implant lawsuit states.

Diagnostic testing revealed that toxic metal debris had entered the plaintiff’s bloodstream, causing her to develop metallosis.

Willow’s doctor says that due to the metal ball-and-socket joint interacting inside Willow, the metal ions were shed and entered her body. This complication also allegedly caused fretting, tissue damage, infection, and other devastating injuries.

These complications eventually led Willow to have the right and left metal hip implants removed on Jan. 21, 2013 and March 11, 2013, respectively. Medical experts state that revision surgeries are riskier than the original procedures, because they take longer and have a higher rate of complications.

According to the hip implant lawsuit, Willow will need continuous medical care for the next few years, due to the alleged complications caused by the metal-on-metal hip implant. In addition, there is a chance that the she has suffered permanent injuries, and that she may need further corrective surgeries due to any additional metal implant complications.

Willow says in her metal hip implant lawsuit against Stryker that the company either knew or should have known about the risk of the metal-on-metal hip implant side effects she suffered.

The hip replacement lawsuit states that Stryker had the responsibility to warn the plaintiff and other patients of all the possible side effects patients could suffer, due to the fact that they are relying on the accuracy of the given information. Willow insists that she never would have used the Stryker Rejuvenate System if she had known about the possibility of metallosis and device failure.

For being allegedly responsible for manufacturing, selling, distributing, and marketing a dangerous product, Willow is suing Stryker Corporation. The charges include: negligence, false advertising, concealing information, and misrepresenting a product.

This Metal Hip Implant Lawsuit is Case No. 0:13-cv-02447-DWF-FLN, in the U.S. District Court of Minnesota.

Overview Metal Hip Implant Complications

On April 23, 2013, Stryker issued an urgent warning letter to surgeons and hospitals across the United States, regarding its metal-on-metal hip implants. The letter warned the possibility of corrosion, metallosis and device failure due to the all-metal components of the devices.

These metal-on-metal hip implants combine several metals that are coated with a plasma spray coating of titanium, hydroxyapatite, cobalt, and chromium. The ball-and-socket joint interaction can cause metal debris to enter the patient’s bloodstream, which can lead to permanent and debilitating metal hip implant side effects.

The Rejuvenate System was released in the United States in February 2009, after receiving U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval in 2008. It was advertised to be Stryker’s latest in its custom orthopaedics line, which featured the option of fitting the device for each individual patient.

The Rejuvenate and other metal hip implants are popular among younger patients due to the fact that they can handle more strenuous exercise, and that they are able fit individual body lengths.

At the time metal hip implants were first conceived, they were thought to be overtly superior to their ceramic and plastic cousins due to the fact that they were more durable and would last longer.