A plaintiff, Carol W., has filed a lawsuit in a Florida federal court against Howmedic Osteonics and Stryker Orthopaedics, alleging she suffered severe adverse effects and complications from a Stryker Accolade hip implant.

According to the Styker Accolade hip implant lawsuit, Carol, a resident and citizen of Manatee County, Fla., alleges that after she was implanted with the device, she suffered “catastrophic failure.”

She was implanted with the medical device in both her left and right hip. Shortly after the implantation, according to the Styker Accolade hip implant lawsuit, “she was forced to have the device surgically removed on October 9, 2013 and replaced with new components.”

According to the Styker Accolade hip implant lawsuit, however, the damage she suffered in her left hip led her to need revision surgery. As a result, moreover, she was later to undergo four additional hip surgeries.

To this day, the lawsuit alleges, Carol continues to suffer pain and discomfort in the left hip. She is also required to go through weekly physical therapy sessions and can no longer move without some kind of assistance.

Moreover, the Styker Accolade hip implant lawsuit alleges, she started experiencing some discomfort in her right hip around the fall of 2015. In October of that year, she was also to undergo surgery in which the right hip medical device was surgically removed and was replaced with new components.

Stryker Accolade Hip Implant Facts

According to the Styker Accolade hip implant lawsuit, Stryker first released the Accolade TMZF Hip Stem in March 2000. It was alleged to increase a patient’s range of motion and stability, and to prevent dislocation in the hip.

The TMZF Hip Stem is designed to be used with a V40 Femoral Head. While the LFIT V40 femoral head is comprised of a metal product of either Vitallium alloy (CoCrMo) and zirconia ceramic, the TMZF hip stem is comprised of titanium alloy that contains titanium, molybdenum, zinc, and iron.

What may occur with the implantation of the TMZF Hip Stem and V40 Femoral Head, is that once it is inserted into a patient’s hip, the medical devices rub together, possibly causing serious complications and side effects such as corrosion.

Additionally, when these materials rub together, they may release particles into the blood stream or adjacent tissue causing a condition known as metallosis. Metallosis involves the metal debris building up into the patient’s soft tissue causing complications such as bone loss, swelling, pain, and soft tissue growths.

The Styker Accolade hip implant lawsuit states that “[d]espite defendants’ claims, this material combination has been reported to cause corrosion.”

“For decades, scientists have reported the occurrence of accelerated fretting and corrosion issues when dissimilar metals are combined. In their marketing and sale of the device, defendants represented and warranted that proprietary materials alleviate concerns for this problem.”

The Stryker Accolade Hip Implant Lawsuit is Case No. 8:17-cv-02113-VMC-TGW, in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida.