A Massachusetts man alleges in a new lawsuit against Howmedica that he suffered from serious injuries because of an allegedly defective hip implant component, the Stryker V40 femoral head.

The plaintiff, Christopher S., alleges he underwent hip replacement surgery for the right and left side in October 2008 and December 2008, respectively. The specific device with which Christopher was implanted was the Accolade TMZF from Stryker, including a Stryker V40 femoral head component, in each side.

Unfortunately, Christopher says he began experiencing serious side effects in the years following his hip replacements. He alleges excessive levels of chromium and cobalt metals were found in his blood, a condition known as metallosis. Eventually, he says the complications became serious enough that Christopher had the Stryker V40 femoral head in his right hip removed in March 2015.

Christopher claims that he was not given adequate warning about the risks associated with the Stryker V40 femoral head component, and that these injuries could have been avoided with the proper warnings. Christopher filed his Stryker V40 femoral head lawsuit on multiple counts, including negligence, defective design, failure to warn, breach of express and implied warranties, and several others. Christopher’s wife also filed on counts of loss of services and loss of consortium.

Christopher is not the first patient to file a lawsuit over Stryker V40 femoral head defects. According to lawsuits, Stryker was aware of complications associated with the device, but did not warn patients or the medical community about these risks until a Stryker V40 femoral head recall itself was issued.

Stryker Hip Implant Device

Hip surgery is one of the most common surgeries in the United States today, used in order to alleviate hip pain generally caused by arthritis and hip fractures. Metal-on-metal hip implants are a popular option for hip replacement, including Stryker hip implant devices. Many Stryker devices include a Stryker V40 femoral head component. Unfortunately, metal-on-metal devices carry serious risks associated with these metals.

Stryker V40 Femoral Head Recall

In response to some of the serious complications associated with these device components, a Stryker V40 femoral head recall was issued. The Stryker recall came after reports of taper lock failure were associated with Stryker’s V40 femoral head component.

Cases of metallosis have also been reported. Metallosis is a kind of metal poisoning that can occur when the metals rub together, releasing metal particles that move into the bloodstream. Excessive levels of metals can lead to further complications.

Several Stryker hip components could be affected by problems with the Stryker V40 femoral head recall, including the Accolade TMZF, Accolade 2, Citation stems, and Meridian stems. Stryker hip implants have also been linked with dislocation and dissociation of the device.

In many cases, serious side effects like device failure or metallosis can require revision surgery to fix, replacing the defective implant. However, any additional surgery brings with it its own risks of complications, infection, and further medical expenses.

Filing a Stryker V40 Femoral Head Lawsuit

If you or someone you love was implanted with a metal hip implant containing the Stryker V40 femoral head recall part and have suffered from these or other side effects, you may be able to file a hip replacement lawsuit. While filing a Stryker V40 femoral head lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering of hip implant defects, it can help to alleviate the financial burden of medical expenses and lost wages from these injuries.

The Stryker V40 Femoral Head Lawsuit is Case No. 1:18-cv-10577-IT, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.