Biomet Orthopedics is facing a new metal hip replacement lawsuit from a California man alleging he suffered from serious hip replacement problems after undergoing surgery to implant a Biomet hip replacement device.

Among the complications reported in the metal hip replacement lawsuit are hip implant metal poisoning and device failure, which caused the plaintiff to undergo multiple revision surgeries.

Plaintiff Kenneth H. had the Biomet M2a Magnum Hip System implanted in his right hip on April 16, 2010. Soon after the device was implanted, Kenneth started experiencing severe pain and device failure.

According to his lawsuit, eventually the pain became too much for Kenneth, and he had to undergo his first revision surgery on Feb. 17, 2015. In December of the same year, he had to undergo another metal hip revision surgery to fix further hip replacement problems.

Kenneth had to undergo two more revision surgeries less than three months apart, in February and March 2016. During these surgeries, Kenneth had to have the device replaced and eventually removed due to severe pain and multiple occurrences of device failure.

Kenneth ultimately filed a metal hip replacement lawsuit against Biomet in May 2016, alleging that he experienced severe pain, hip implant metal poisoning, and device failure.

Kenneth’s lawsuit says that at the time Kenneth and his physician chose the M2a Magnum hip implant to be his hip replacement device, the FDA had received approximately 127 reports of complications associated with the device.

Additionally, the lawsuit alleges, Biomet failed to provide adequate warning about the complications associated with their device, and did not provide surgical instructions or any precautionary warnings to the patient or his physician regarding possible hip replacement problems.

Overview of Metal Hip Replacement Problems

Metal-on-metal hip implants have been at the center of negative orthopedic patient experiences for the past several years, with new complaints filed with the FDA on a regular basis.

According to reports, the metal ball and metal socket in the joint of the hip implants interact, shedding metal ions into the patient’s blood stream.

This causes the formation of pseudotumors, infection, corrosion, device failure, and a number of other hip implant replacement problems. Initially all metal hip implants were thought to be more durable and longer lasting than the ceramic or plastic models, as well as being customizable for patients.

However, many patients and doctors allege metal hip implant manufacturing companies exaggerated the benefits of their models, while not adequately explaining the risks.

These alleged shortcomings have led to multiple hip replacement lawsuits like Kenneth’s, where the plaintiff claims he never would have used the M2a Magnum hip implant if he had known of the risk of hip implant metal poisoning and the other complications he suffered.

The Biomet Failed Hip Replacement Lawsuit is Case No. 3:16-cv-330, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana, South Bend Division.