A Tennessee woman has filed a lawsuit alleging Stryker Orthopaedics was responsible for metal poisoning she suffered from her hip implant.

Plaintiff Elda W. was implanted with a Rejuvenate Modular hip system made by Stryker in her left hip in June 2011.

However, five years later in May 2016, she had the entire system removed due to complications.

Woman Claims Metal Poisoning from Hip Implant

Elda claims she has suffered injuries as a result of metal poisoning from hip implant and alleges that her injuries are as a result of both the implantation surgery and the explantation surgery.

The plaintiff was alarmed when she realized that she had suffered from metal poisoning from hip implant when her blood was drawn and excessive levels of chromium and cobalt were discovered in her blood.

She claims that there was no way she could have known that the Stryker Rejuvenate Hip system was recalled in 2012, one year after she was implanted, and attributes these abnormalities to metal poisoning from hip implant.

This is not the first time metallosis claims have been brought against the manufacturer of the metal hip implant.

Elda brings forth many causes of action including negligence, defective design, manufacturing defect, failure to warn, breach of express warranty, breach of implied warranty, negligent misrepresentation, loss of consortium and unjust enrichment.

She also claims that Stryker violated the Minnesota Deceptive Acts and Practices, Unfair Trade Practices Consumer Protection, Merchandising Practices and False Advertising Acts.

Metal Poisoning from Hip Implants

In 2012, Stryker stopped all global sales and production of the Rejuvenate Modular Hip System as well as their ABG II Modular Hip System. This came three months after they issued an “Urgent Field Safety Notice” to the medical community.

The safety notice pointed out the risks and hazards associated with their metal hip implant systems, specifically regarding metal poisoning from hip implant.

They noted that the systems might experience corrosion or “fretting,” wherein tiny shards of metal can shed into the surrounding tissue. These small pieces of metal can poison a patient and can leach into the patient’s tissues, bones and bloodstream. This condition is called metallosis.

The neck components of the Rejuvenate Hip System are made from chromium, cobalt and titanium. When chromium and cobalt enter a patient’s tissues, it can cause inflammation (Adverse Local Tissue Reaction or ALTR) and necrosis (tissue and bone death).

If a patient has metal sensitivity, he or she may have a severe allergic reaction or osteolysis, which is bone loss. Either of these may require revision or explantation surgery.

If you or someone you love suffered metal poisoning from hip implant, or other complications, you may be eligible to file a metal hip implant lawsuit.

The Metal Hip Implant Lawsuit is part of the Stryker MDL, In Re: Stryker Rejuvenate and ABG II Hip Implant Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 13-2441 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota.