DePuy Orthopaedics is facing a growing multidistrict litigation (MDL), consisting of product liability claims alleging problems with the DePuy Pinnacle hip system. One of the most recent claims comes from a Florida woman, alleging she had experienced serious problems associated with metal-on-metal hip implants soon after having the DePuy Pinnacle hip system implanted.

Plaintiff Ginna B. alleges that the company failed to warn her against the defective nature of the DePuy Pinnacle hip system, which forced her to later undergo revision surgery.

According to the complaint, the DePuy Pinnacle hip system was recommended to the plaintiff for typical treatment purposes. The plaintiff alleged she agreed to it after her physician reviewed marketing materials provided by the manufacturer. According to the lawsuit, Ginna underwent total right hip replacement surgery on May 6, 2010 and had the DePuy Pinnacle hip system implanted.

However, not long after the DePuy Pinnacle hip system was implanted, Ginna alleges she began experiencing debilitating pain and tenderness in her right hip. Ginna says she also experienced decreased range of motion, with the compounding side effects eventually forcing her to seek medical treatment.

According to the diagnostic work at the hospital, alleges the lawsuit, the plaintiff’s body had elevated metal ion levels in the blood from metallosis. Due to Ginna’s chronic pain and other hip implant complications, she underwent revision surgery to replace the DePuy Pinnacle hip system on March 18, 2014.

Ginna opted to file legal action against DePuy, after discovering the allegedly defective nature of the DePuy Pinnacle hip system and that numerous other patients suffered similar injuries.

Overview of Metal Hip Implant Complications

The DePuy Pinnacle hip system entered the market in 2000, but had quickly become associated with a high failure rate. These failure rates stem from the design of the hip implant, with the all metal ball and socket joint components interacting and shedding metal ions into the bloodstream.

This can lead to a number of metal hip implant complications including, but not limited to:

• Metallosis (Blood Metal Poisoning)
• Fretting
• Corrosion
• Tissue Death
• Debilitating Pain
• Limited Range of Motion

These complications can force patients to undergo revision surgery to remove or replace the hip implant, which is considered riskier than the initial procedure, requiring extensive recovery schedules and expensive medical bills.

When metal-on-metal hip implants were first released into the market, they were thought to be overtly superior to their plastic or ceramic cousins. Not only did companies market them to be more durable and longer lasting, most metal hip implants could be customizable to patients.

However, numerous patients have reported suffering from debilitating metal hip implant complications and have had to undergo revision surgery to resolve them. Ginna’s metal hip implant lawsuit is joining MDL No. 2244, where it will stand alongside other claims alleging similar injuries caused by the DePuy Pinnacle hip system.

Ginna states she would not have agreed to have the DePuy Pinnacle hip system implanted, if she had known about the product’s high failure rate.

This Metal Hip Implant Lawsuit is Case No. 3:18-cv-00577-K, in the U.S. District Court of Northern Texas.