An Exactech lawsuit has been filed against the prosthetic manufacturer by a Pennsylvania woman alleging she had to undergo revision surgery due to premature device failure.

The woman filed the Exactech lawsuit after discovering the allegedly defective nature of the Exactech Optetrak knee replacement implant and alleges the company failed to warn about potential problems.

Plaintiff Diane S. alleges she had to undergo revision surgery for the injuries she allegedly sustained from the Exactech Optetrak. At the time she had to undergo knee replacement surgery, Diane says she had been recommended the Exactech Optetrak knee replacement implant and agreed to get the device implanted after reviewing the marketing materials provided by Exactech Inc. With these marketing materials in mind, Diane had the Exactech Optetrak knee replacement system implanted onto her left knee.

However, not long after the device was implanted, Diane says she experienced serious knee replacement implant problems including device loosening, malpositioning of knee replacement implant, wear and tear of device components causing instability, limited mobility, swelling, and pain.

Overview of Exactech Lawsuit Allegations

These knee replacement problems were reportedly discovered when Diane had to undergo revision surgery to have the Exactech Optetrak knee replacement system removed.

Diane filed the Exactech lawsuit after discovering the FDA had received numerous injury reports indicating the Exactech Optetrak knee replacement components were prematurely failing.

These failures were reportedly caused by tibial insert wear and tear of the cement-tibial-implant interface within the knee replacement system. These failures were reportedly caused by the fragmentation and wear of the plastic insert, which eventually spurred Exactech Inc. to initiate a recall.

In addition to the injury reports, Exactech Optetrak knee replacements containing the defective tibial plates were the subject of a recent study that had produced troubling results. According to Orhopaedics & Traumatology: Surgery & Research, the study analyzed 110 prostheses in 106 patients.

Researchers followed these patients for up to 25 months after knee replacement surgery, with patients reporting the following complications:

• 15% of patients reported they were disappointed or dissatisfied
• 22% of patients reported feeling pain and needing frequent painkillers
• 22% of patients reported suffering from tibial implant loosening
• 21% of patients reported suffering patellofemoral conflict
• 13 patients reported needing revision surgery for device failure, allegedly caused by patellofemoral instability or patellofemoral pain

According to the Exactech lawsuit, Diane had the knee replacement system implanted for typical treatment purposes and had no reason to be wary of potential device problems. At all times relevant, Diane says she followed all post surgical care instructions and was not aware of the problems associated with the knee replacement system.

Diane alleges Exactech Inc. failed to warn her and her orthopedic physician of the potential knee replacement problems associated with the Exactech Optetrak knee replacement system implant, nor was she notified of the company’s recall.

Diane states she would never have agreed to have the Exactech Optetrak knee replacement system implanted if she had known about the potential for early device failure. Diane is filing this Exactech lawsuit raising claims including negligence and failure to warn.

This Exactech Lawsuit is Case No. 2:18-cv-00046-CB, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania.

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If you or a loved one suffered from complications caused by an Attune knee implant, an Arthrex knee implant, or an Exactech knee implant, you may have a legal claim. In general, knee replacement surgery lawsuits are filed individually by each plaintiff and are not class actions. Get help now by filling out the form on this page for a FREE case evaluation.

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