Howmedica Osteonics Corp. faces a new Stryker recalled femoral head lawsuit in Massachusetts federal court, joining a growing multidistrict litigation (MDL) filed against the company over alleged serious adverse side effects and complications.

Plaintiff Margaret D. filed the Stryker recalled femoral head lawsuit, demanding jury trial. The lawsuit was filed on June 14, 2018.

According to the Stryker recalled femoral head lawsuit, Margaret is a resident and citizen for the state of Texas. She says that she was implanted with the LFIT Anatomic CoCr V40 Femoral Head on her right hip on Oct. 28, 2009 at Scott & White Memorial Hospital in Temple, Texas. She says that she was also implanted with the devices’ femoral stem, the Accolade TMZF during the same procedure.

However, she says that she suffered severe adverse effects and complications as a result of the alleged defective device that included excessive levels of chromium and cobalt in her blood.

She states that she was not aware that she had become implanted with a faulty and defective Stryker metal hip until she had her blood drawn and was advised of these levels.

The Stryker recalled femoral head lawsuit was filed on multiple counts, including negligence, negligence per se, defective design, manufacturing defect, failure to warn, breach of express warranty, breach of warranty as to merchantability, breach of implied warranty, violation of Massachusetts consumer protection act, violation of consumer fraud and/or unfair and deceptive trade practices under state law, negligent misrepresentation, unjust enrichment, punitive damages, among others.

Overview: Stryker Recalled Femoral Head Lawsuit

On Aug. 29, 2016, Howmedica released an “urgent Medical Device Recall Notification” advising of their voluntary recall of the LFIT Anatomic V40 Femoral Head. The recall notification was sent to surgeons across the nation who were implanting patients with the metal-on-metal hip replacement device.

A larger-than-expected number of severe adverse effects and complications patients had suffered since the device’s release onto the market led to the device’s voluntary recall. Though hip implants are known to cause various side effects and  complications, the Styker metal-on-metal hip implant device caused a higher than normal occurrence of suc effects that were blamed on taper lock failure.

Fretting and corrosion of the device may release metal ions into a patient’s blood stream and surrounding tissues. Adverse side effects linked to the metal-on-metal hip replacement device include:

• Metallosis; poisoning of tissue resulting from metal ions and fragments
• Necrosis; tissue and bone death resulting from metal toxicity
• Osteolysis; disbanding of nectrotic bone tissue
• Systemic metal poisoning; inflammation of bloodstream due to presence of metal ions
• Pseudotumors; the presence of false tumors surrounding joints
• Bone fracture; bones may weaken or fracture
• Revision surgery; to replace the defective and faulty metal-on-metal device
• Reconstructive surgery; because of weakened bones due to fracture

The Stryker Recalled Femoral Head Lawsuit is Case No. 1:18-cv-11241-IT, in the U.S. District Court of for the District of Massachusetts. The Stryker V40 Lawsuit is in re: Stryker LFIT V40 Femoral Head Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 17-md-2768-IT, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.